The winning Stretch

 “If you really want to eat, keep climbing. The fruits are on the top of the tree. Stretch your hands and keep stretching them. Success is at the top, keep going.” ― Israelmore Ayivor

Badarika was a chubby little girl who resembled the Jujube fruit in the garden.  She was the healthy and well nourished daughter of Baltishn and Balamani. Balamani was indeed a jewel in Balitshn’s life as she was soft spoken, poised, organised and able. She loved her role of a homemaker in Baltishn’s life which was carried out with utmost sincerity. The couple belonged to Odisha, but had moved to Dornala in Andhra Pradesh in search of a job. Luckily Baltishn landed a job in this remote village which was near Srisailam, a tourist spot. Once when the young couple had gone to Srisailam, Balamani had the opportunity of eating the Jujube fruit. She stored the seeds carefully in her saree and planted it at Dornala. She was blessed with a baby girl that year and Balamani named her Badarika as the plump infant resembled the Jujube fruit. Baltishn was powerful as his name suggested both in deeds and strength.

The  happiness in Balamani’s life knew no bounds when the Jujebe plant sprouted into a sapling the year Badarika was born. Baltishn and Balamani felt they were responsible for two little ones, a frail and weak plant, and a tubby baby. The Jujube plant is a deciduous  shrub with thorny branches,  the fruits are luscious, they are usually called Indian Dates and belong to the species of Ziziphus. The frail plant grew fast and was around five feet tall by the time little Badrika was five years old. Badarika loved the fruits, but could never reach it. The comfortable life and the good food of Balamani kept her plump and adorable. She wanted everything very easily, including the Jujube fruit. Balamani would tell her ‘if you want to eat the fruit you keep climbing, stretch a little more, the best fruits do not fall, they are at the top’.

Badarika would always give up in any activity. She would never put her best as fatigue would grip her midway in the path of studies or sports. As she grew the change was visible. She grew grumpy fat and remained disappointed. Balamani and Baltishn kept encouraging her, but Badarika had resolved to be a disappointment. The only fascination for Badarika was athletics. She constantly watched the fleet of sports programs and dreamt being a part of this.

Balamani got her admitted under a coach to bring her back into a better temperament. It was the first time they saw Badarika smile. Badarika was  regular for her coaching, nevertheless her laziness remained. She would never begin her day on her own, all her work had to be done by Balamani, however, she would always hustle to the  Athletic Coaching Centre enthusiastically. She would begin the race with the others, but would finish off much later than everyone. Her coach called her a month later and reprimanded her saying, ‘Badarika, to do well, one must stretch oneself, go beyond their capabilities’. It reminded Badarika of her mother’s words. She felt ashamed of herself for the first time. The next morning Badarika woke up sooner than the normal time, the early morning was breathtaking, she looked at Jujube tree as it beckoned her with its gleaming ripe fruits. She stretched on her toes to pick a ripe yellow green Jujube. She failed to pluck it, she kept trying till she caught it in her palms. She loved the tang as it tasted better because of the efforts she had put in. She stretched a little more to pluck a few more, each time there was an inner gratification.

Badarika reached the  sports ground sooner than usual, she slipped on her sports shoes eloquently and began the warm ups methodically. Every step reminded her of her teacher’s words, “we are bestowed with great potential, but use only a fraction of it, stretch yourself to explore the hidden potential”.  
Badarika decided to ascertain the meaning, she participated wholeheartedly yet finished second last in the race. The coach saw a promising feature in Badarika, she did not linger or walk wearily.  Badarika was satisfied with her efforts for the day, her inner satisfaction led her to  plan and execute her steps in the races that followed. Step by step she mastered the ability to move ahead. She never evaluated her moves, her judgement was restrained to her belief that enthused her every day.

Badarika was selected in the regional sports competition, she practiced each day, it was just the efforts she had put regularly, yet each day she had added the formula, ‘stretch a little more’. The motto had carried her far ahead of others as the inner  contentment and fulfillment was heartwarming.  She had grown taller, the chubbiness had disappeared to make way in the form of a strapping personality.

The competition was held at Hyderabad which was 175 kms away from Dornala. Badarika decided to go with the group to Hyderabad. The mellowness in handling herself appalled her parents, but this was what they had always aspired to see. They decided to reach the sports arena in Hyderabad on the sly. As the match began, Balamani and Baltishn sat in the audience holding their hands, they wanted their loving daughter to do well to reinstate her faith in the magic words. The race began and the audience witnessed Badarika running precisely, she was way behind others,  but when the last stretch lay ahead, Badarikha gained momentum, she ran swiftly like wind, the words “ stretch a little more Badarika,” echoed within her, she quickened, put her heart and her soul into her goal, she stretched across to run far ahead of others. The unrealistic bit of a stretch for Badarika had turned out to be the winning stretch reminding one of the saying “if you want to eat the fruit you keep climbing, stretch a little more, the best fruits do not fall, they are at the top”

“If you don't break your own standards, you will not reach new heights and levels. It is by stretching our limits that we move beyond boundaries. Keep improving!” ― Israelmore Ayivor,