I feel immense pleasure and pride due to our athletes who bagged 56 medals in the recently concluded Special Olympics in Greece. I am overwhelmed by the feelings of honour to be their country fellow, feel immense pride at their achievements and have no words to appreciate the great talent they have.
Amongst all these feelings I also feel embarrassed and ashamed that I did not go to the airport to receive them, that I did not discuss their great success amongst my family and friends, that I did not feel as emotionally attached to their endeavours as I did to the cricket team which lost in Mohali, that I was not keeping myself abreast with the latest action in Athens as much as I was keen on political developments, that I did not participate in the happiness and joy of our kids, that I did not shed a tear of bliss with them. I want to apologise to them from the depths of my heart with utmost sincerity.
The overwhelming feeling that I have is that of great gratitude. These guys, in the midst of all what we have created in our country, had the resolve and resilience to keep on walking their path despite lack of facilities and support, and achieved what very few in the world could achieve in multiple life times.
I salute them and thank them. Don’t let anything come in your way, you are the talent everyone dreams of and only a handful acquire. Explore new frontiers and pave way for others to follow.
HABIB UR REHMAN
Rawalpindi
