Heartbreaking and Enriching

The Women's World Cup final was just that. Heartbreaking a.n.d Enriching

Heartbreaking, I guess because we feel for our girls. 

Above that I'd say was the 'Enriching'. Again for just that. For just seeing them there. The energy, the grit, the confidence, the sport, and all those wonderful things we saw in full measure...and then the naivety or honesty. In fact it is that I choose to write about. 

                        

I was at my dad's, and watching with him for a short while, when I happened to catch a run out from Deepti Sharma.  A direct hit on the wickets which saw Brunt out. What touched me deepest was Deepti's reaction. It was at one time so spontaneous, and so very endearing. 

Her energy and focus in the throw, her jubilation at seeing it get Brunt out, and then her shy and embarrassed sticking out of her tongue at the reaction it evoked. It was so cute, I can still smile at recall. At that moment I saw that it was not about women playing a man's game, or being as good as a man there, but about playing a great game and yet being all woman even on field. 

Was enough for me to cancel rest of evenings program to watch the match through. 

While the match itself was everything that a game can be, right to the end, what also stayed with me were a few facets beyond the game.

Just to see the energy in the stadium, to see Lord's packed to capacity for a women's cricket match, knowing friends and cousins were betting on the match, pubs were running the match to full capacity, an estimated 100 million viewers world wide..........sure felt like a milestone for women's cricket. Deep feel good feeling for sure.

Also what caught my attention; amongst some really annoying advertisements, were two brilliant ads. 

One of Amir Khan - 'Gurdeep Singh and Daughters'.

A sweetmeat shop owner, with pride giving full credit for expansion to his daughters. Calls the shop 'Gurdeep Singh and Daughters'. We're so used to '& Sons' '& Brothers', we don't even realize how subconscious an acceptance that is. What a powerful message in that one line. Wow !

Another advertisement was a policybazaar.com, an insurance reselling portal I think. It had a transgender as husband of the family and what's more, he was cross dressed too. Another huge Wow !!

Sure came back enriched at so many levels.