Working Woes ......

It is a wet morning. Of late, we have been having plenty of rain - partly due to effects of the strong monsoon wind sweeping towards our East Coast. But, this time around, we are taken aback by landslides occuring in areas located in and around the Klang Valley. With the latest nightmare resulting in four dead, fifteen injured, one missing and last but by no means least, thousands have been evacuated.

Today, I wish to share with you one of my very favourite books. This is a very old and inspiring book titled, "The Four-Minute Mile" by Roger Bannister, an Englishman. Sir Roger Bannister (knighted in 1975) is best remembered for his famous run in the "Empire Games Mile Event" held at Vancouver in 1954 with a record of 3 Minute 58.8 Seconds. Roger Bannister had proven, that a man can, with his own two feet, overcame severe difficulties to reach a pinnacle upon which he can stand tall and declare 'no one has ever done this before'. Or to put it another way, with his supposedly, intrisically simple act of placing one feet after another for 1,760 yards, as fast as possible, Roger Bannister had made such a tremendous sporting achievement that he had inspired others all over the world.

Sir Roger Bannister's 'four-minute mile run' is often compared with other athletic achievements of the 1950's which were thought to be impossible. Indeed, that record has since been broken by many after him. It was like in 1953 when Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tensing first conquered Mount Everest. It seemed impossible then. To date, hundreds and hundreds more have attempted and succeeded. The 1950s were an age of exploration and attempts to smash physical barriers in a world just liberated from war. Then, there was another feat which deserved to be mentioned. It was the circumnavigation of the world by a single-handed sailor, Francis Chichester who was in his 60s then. "Challenge make life more intense" he once said. I certainly agree that age is less a factor than running, but both demand special skills, courage and endurance. 

When Roger Bannister first started out serious running, he was seeking for an outlet for something. Coupled with his desire to prove his ability and to do something well he then set out to do it alone. As time goes by, he soon ran into situations that were too big for him to master. Well in life one can dodge them or play hide and seek with reality, never facing the truth ourselves. In sport one cannot. That led Roger Bannister to the self-discovery of own his limitations and abilities. That discovery was partly physical; Roger Bannister learnt for instance that feeling tired does not mean the limit of exhaustion has been reached. On the hand, his discovery is mental, brought about by the stresses that sport imposes. Having learnt how far from being sufficient he was, he realised the co-operation and assistance of others. What kept Roger Bannister going forward in the midst of his early setbacks was the important belief that 'We must perform ourselves rather that watch others'.  

In the words of Sir Roger Bannister, "We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it. It does us good because it helps us to do other things better. It also gives us the chance to bring out that power otherwise which may remain locked away inside". The urge to struggle and excel has always lie latent within each and everyone of us. When Sir Roger Bannister made his famous run I was still ................... Then, growing up steadily, got into some roller-coaster rides along the way, then moving forward dreaming and working on my dreams always inspired by Mr. Jones's 'The Impossible Dream'. However, time flies and soon we are in a 'New, New World'. The paradigm of our mindsets had also shifted in tandem with the world where 'Impossibility is Nothing' today. Nevertheless, in all our quest and future endeavour it still demand special skills, courage and to succeded. And, the human spirit is indomitable. 

Have a great day !!!