Kicking my way to new friendships!

It was Sunday. A day I look forward to. After I got into the 6-working days zone, Sunday is something I yearn for. But unlike many others, it’s not my ‘rest day’ where I laze around and watch movies or just sleep (Boy! I’ve missed that too). I look forward to Sunday simply because that’s when I play Football.

Football has been my love for over 14 years now. The love has just grown and I am passionate about the game more than ever before now. After a horrific injury 7 years back, it took me a while to get back to playing Football again. After I recovered, I’d make reasons to avoid playing, simply because I was too scared of picking another injury. That’s where your passion takes over and gives you just about push you need to get back on the field. I took 3 years and there I was back on the field, playing a sport I dearly loved.

When you do things for real and are not a mere spectator, you start appreciating things more. I got back to playing Football regularly and I watched in awe as others played. Every nutmeg, every through ball and every sweet goal would send a rush of adrenaline down my spine.

When someone says “passion”, all I can think of is Football. This passion has extended to my life as well. Fresh out of college, when I was still trying to figure out how things worked in corporate sector, I luckily met colleagues who loved Football. There was this instant connection with them. We would meet and always start talking about Football and somehow it’s never boring. I then discovered that a lot of them want to play and but hadn’t played for a long time. I was the catalyst they all were looking for to start playing again.

I got all of them together, 12 to be precise, and played a game of Football at a ground nearby. The entire experience was refreshing, to say the least. It then became a weekly thing, new people joined in and the Football ‘group’ was now 35 members strong.

I was quickly among the most popular members on the floor. I had more friends in the company than people who were there for over 4 years. I quickly became the go to guy for anything related to cross team communication. And somehow things got done.

In November last year, when I finally decided to move on from the company, I found leaving my football friends the toughest. Even though I’d be in the same city, I was moving to a location quite far and playing every week wouldn’t possible.

It’s amazing how your connection with people who are passionate about the same things as you are resonates at another level. Yes, Football brought us together and kept us together.

I am inspired enough to quote — ”Friendships made on the Football pitch stay forever”