BIRTHDAYS ARE FOR REBIRTH

I think it is time for me to write again.

I had not purposely neglected my blog. Perhaps I had a 'blogger's block' from the last time I wrote. But then again, I am not a frequent blog writer. Well the thing is, it's about inspiration isn't it? I don't know about you, but I can get inspired fairly quickly, but that does not mean that I can sustain it for long. I probably will blame on my star sign for that, being a Gemini!

Talking about being a Gemini, it has been a week, last Monday that I had my birthday. But my birthday did not start until 26th of May, three days later. Metaphorically, I argue now, in retrospect, that it started 3 days from the official date. The day I got my tooth extracted.

You might say that I am a coward. Don't all people go through these things. The cowardice was actually much deeper than just the feeling of utter dread at one's teeth been pulled PAINFULLY. It was way back in March, 2 months back, when it was diagnosed that my right upper back molar had a big hole in it, but I delayed and delayed... Went to see two dentists and cancelled a couple of appointments before I managed to do it. And I managed to do it after my football club, Liverpool won the Champion's League Final 2005!

When I actually called the dentist's receptionist and she said that the next appointment was to be 26th of May, I thought, "Oh, okay. " And duly noted, " Hm, that's the day after the Champion's League Final". At that time, I think LIverpool had just managed to beat Chelsea in the Semi-Final. But many people did not fancy Liverpool's chances as they will be fighting the Mighty AC Milan in the final. Come on, any football fan worth his or her salt would 'pooh-pah' the idea of AC Milan getting beat. But leading to the Final, the build-up amongst the Liverpool fans was that it was a possibility that Liverpool will win it. The rest is history of course, as we know it. Liverpool won after being zero to AC Milan's three goals at half time and they made an amazing comeback after the break.

Gerrard the Captain Fantastic
Liverpool CL Champions 2005

Seriously, at half time when they were down, I went to my window and stared outside into the dark. I felt despair for Liverpool and I felt it even more so for myself, when reminded of my dreaded appointment with the dentist and the painful extraction looming on the next day... I was really feeling FEAR!

I sat on the dentist chair the next morning, thinking of Carragher's strained groin as he punished himself defending Liverpool's goal. "He preservered.", I thought. I sat meditating verses from the Koran, and saying, " There is no God but God" over and over again. But most of all, I surrendered to the will of the ... Dentist! "Turn your head to the left", I did. "Move your jaw to the side!", I did. He pulled and tugged, while the nurse held my head. And then, in a few minutes it was over. What a relief!

And I basked in celebration that day, when all over the UK and Europe (and possibly the whole World), people sang their praises for Liverpool. Though still recovering from the extraction and having some pain, I watched on telly, the parade in the Liverpool streets full of pride. My team did it, and they showed the never-die attitude. I was truly inspired.

That was a brilliant evening when Liverpool won and it was even better when I won the next day... the battle with fear!