A Tribute to Floorball

I am still fighting on…

“You owe us an explanation! Almost let in a goal!”
Disgusted, he exclaimed those words and glared me past my soul.
“I’m sorry”, I muttered feebly.
Head hanging low, body bruised and battered, I sighed dejectedly.

Five years ago, I fell in love with this game.
With fervent enthusiasm and unflinching resolve, it filled my life with passionate flame.
I molded my blade, I renewed my grip… I was on the way.
I disciplined my runs and I sharpened my dribbles,
I hardened my shots and I drilled my passes.

Soon I wanted more!
And the floorball clips inspired me to the fore!
My fellow men, armed with our humble sticks,
Out to battle we went, and back with many heads we scalped.

We became legends.
Notorious for defense, respected for spirit, awed for perseverance.
With strength in self-belief, we defeated our arch-rival,
And then I realised I had led my men to our first title.

We improved more.
Such was the reputation, we became a favourite in all competitions.
But we were never a one-man show,
We have always collectively been a team.

Then, soon I dreamt more!
Madrid was the battleground, World Championships was the event.
Played and lost.
But I have fulfilled my dream… I have fought for my homeland.

Five years on, I am merely a battle-weary soul,
Who hates to admit that his passion has ebbed.

I once proclaimed proudly that sports is my blood,
And floorball would be the haemoglobin.
So what started out as fiery flames, has now cooled to icy winters.
But deep inside, I know, I vow to fight on.

I am still fighting on…

See that determined look! In our first ever finals...

That I began to live

On a bright morning of 2004, on the 9th month and 28th day,
I journeyed up a mountain in Taichung, against the sun’s pounding rays.

Emboldened in spirit, encouraged by light,
I went up on a little lamb,
acquired from the neighbour of my friend.

As the lamb took me up,
We passed a long wide river, lined by dancing trees,
‘till it narrowed into a stream, flanked by steady boulders.

Further up I went, with the stream just below,
I realized then that it has become a gorge.
At awe with beauty, at ease with nature,
I marveled with a quiet smile at Mother Earth’s stature.

I then went back exactly 24 years ago,
to a small hospital on top of a forested hill,
In that hospital, I saw a pretty lady,
and in her arms, was a newborn baby.
That baby grew up, and 24 years later, he was marveling with a quiet smile at Mother Earth’s stature.

And suddenly “CRASH!!!”
I forgot that I was riding! My lamb wasn’t a lamb! It was a two-wheeled scooter!
Half my legs went into a mud patch, half the scooter was still in the mud… I was near the gorge!
I had skidded off a muddy stone, on a path that was laced with slippery rocks.
I had survived.

Someone told me I could have lost my life that day, on that 24th birthday...
But I tell you now, it was on that day that I almost died,
That I began to live.

A coaster, from Lavender Cottage... where me and my colleagues were supposed to have lunch after our scooter incident :p