If We Were Having Coffee… 4th December
If we were having coffee, I’d apologize for postponing our weekly tête-à-tête by a day. Yes, I was bushed yesterday! More about it later, first things first… How have you been? How was this week for you?
If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I had a very interesting week. I saw Dear Zindagi in a cinema at Kuwait with colleagues. Yes, Bollywood movies are pretty popular here and they are shown with subtitles in Arabic and English. I must tell you that I loved Dear Zindagi. It was such a refreshing take on life and its issues. I loved the life lessons that it put across subtly. And some of the dialogues of this movie are going to stay with me for life.
If we were having coffee, I’d tell you very excitedly that I participated in a 11 kilometer walkathon yesterday. It was a first for me. And I totally loved the experience. It was wonderful to see people of all age groups and nationalities come together for this event. Oh, by the way, men and women had separate starts and had to compete within their respective categories. There were women with kids in the strollers and women in abayas and hijab (headscarf) too.
If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I completed this 11 km walkathon in 2 hours and 4 minutes. And I am feeling pretty accomplished and proud of myself. The first 4 kms were a breeze and then the blogger in me came to life pretty strong as I started clicking pics en route and even chatted with a few co-walkers. That slowed my pace, but I regained my focus in the last 3 kms and covered up a bit. That’s the medal I got and the organizers sent the participation certificate with stats by email too.
If we were having coffee, I’d tell you about this exchange that I had with this young girl during the walkathon. She was walking with her friend a bit ahead of me and I saw the two of them picking empty water bottles which the other people had carelessly thrown around. This act of theirs impressed me and I caught up with them and said that they were doing a great job. I asked if I could click their picture. They agreed immediately. As I took out my phone, one girl mentioned, “All these people (she meant most participants in the walkathon) are not Muslims. Real Muslims don’t litter around.” Her vehement statement made me look at her again. A lot of thoughts and incidents flashed in my head in a second. I wondered, why a simple civic act had to be associated with religion?
If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’ll have to take your leave as I have to work on a part of my presentation scheduled in the morning. I wish you a great week ahead and I’ll be looking forward to our next coffee together. Cheers ♥
Linking this to #weekendcoffeeshare
December 5, 2016 1:09 am|
The salvation sounds interesting. Have a pleasant week.
December 6, 2016 11:37 am|
Thanks for dropping by. Have a great week, Betty!
December 5, 2016 5:25 am|
The walk sounds like a nice event. I did a few 5 and 10K runs in 2015, but not 2016. I do enjoy participating with all of the people and usually for a cause.
I think people have an idea of the behavior their religion dictates. I think she wasn’t saying that she thinks Christian, Jews or Hindus litter, but that to be a true Muslim, you don’t litter and if you do litter, well, you can’t call yourself a true Muslim. I agree that it shouldn’t be associated with a religion, but some people feel very defined by their religion.
I hope you have a great week!
December 6, 2016 8:35 pm|
Yes, it was a great event and I loved my experience. Hope you get to participate in more such events in 2017 🙂
I know what you mean, Trent. Somehow, linking every day acts with religion is a bit awkward.
Thanks. Hope you are having a great week too!
December 5, 2016 6:45 am|
You did a walk… yay! !! Isn’t it fun? I love the energy of such events and the best bit is that I’m not competing – as in all I want to do is finish my walk – and that makes it so much more relaxed and fun.
Religion and civic responsibility – I see no connect but well if some one does and the end result is a cleaner city I’m all for it.
December 6, 2016 10:56 pm|
I went in for this event just to experience and soak in the buzz of the event. And I am truly glad!!
True, their act of voluntarily helping keep their city clean is truly commendable and I told them so too.
December 5, 2016 7:34 am|
11 Kms.. quite an achievement. I did 6 yesterday and need to push myself a bit more..I am inspired.
December 6, 2016 10:58 pm|
6 is cool and you can do more too, Lata, because we can truly surprise ourselves too!! Thank 🙂
December 5, 2016 7:46 am|
I walk and run regularly but have never participated in any runs. Can you believe it? Your Kuwait diaries are fascinating!
December 6, 2016 10:59 pm|
Yes, you are an inspiration for sticking to your fitness regime. You can ace such events easily. Go for them!! Thanks Rachna, glad you find these snippets from Kuwait interesting!
December 5, 2016 8:33 am|
11 km walkathon! Cool.
This is kind of talk gets them bad names. As you said, why a simple civic act should be associated with religion.
December 6, 2016 11:07 pm|
Thanks SG!!
Exactly!! Doing a noble work under the garb of religion somehow undermines the effort!
December 5, 2016 8:54 am|
I can walk but i am a very clumsy runner…. Compared to running events walkathons seem to be happening lesser
…..have a nice week
December 6, 2016 11:08 pm|
Yes, agree. Walkathons can have more participation from the general public than marathons. You have a great week too, Jayashree!!
December 5, 2016 10:19 am|
If we were having coffee, I would congratulate you on your walk-a-thon experience and might bring up mine from a.g.e.s. ago. :O)
December 6, 2016 11:09 pm|
Thanks a lot, LuAnn!! Would love to know about your experience over a cup of coffee!! 🙂
December 5, 2016 1:08 pm|
Hey, 11 kilometre walk?!! Oh wow! You sure keep yourself super fit, Shilpa! I love walking, and next time there is a walkathon in my locality, I am sure going to participate! There’s this sense of satisfaction and pride at having accomplished something, isn’t it? The medal looks cool!
I am waiting to watch Dear ZIndagi, myself. Let’s see..have heard all good things about it! 🙂
Loved having coffee with you, my dear namesake! <3
December 6, 2016 11:11 pm|
Aah! Super fit… am far from it!!
This was my first experience and loved it. Hope you get to do it in an area near you too, Shilpa.
Oh, do watch Dear Zindagi. I am definitely watching this movie again!
Good to have you here for coffee this week, Shilpa. See you soon again ♥
December 5, 2016 3:53 pm|
This is awesome, Shilpa. Congrats on completing the run. I love how you speak about the blogger in you clicking pics and chatting with fellow runners. That’s how we are as a tribe, aren’t we? I’m loving your Kuwait exploits 🙂
December 6, 2016 11:13 pm|
Thanks Nabanita!!
True!! Once a blogger, always a blogger and we just cant let go of an opportunity to click and get details which can be later shared on our darling blogs!! Glad you are liking these stories from Kuwait! 🙂
December 5, 2016 5:47 pm|
I loved reading your updates, Shilpa. Congratulations on completing the Walkathon. I once walked 1 kms as part of a temple tradition and remember completing it in four hours as we had to visit around nine temples along the way, pausing for five minutes or so in between at each temple. But it was an accomplishment in itself. I know how you must have felt too 🙂
December 6, 2016 11:15 pm|
Anything that we do, that makes us step out of our comfort zone is an accomplishment. Glad that you did that walk and I am really glad that I took part in this walkathon too. Thanks Maliny!
December 5, 2016 6:41 pm|
wow 11 km Walkathon! that’s amazing feat… congratulations on completing it. I can totally see myself clicking pictures too 😛 this ‘blogger effect’ is hard to resist. Picking up of bottles is such a wonderful gesture. Hope your presentation goes well 🙂
December 6, 2016 11:23 pm|
Thank you Raj! We bloggers are a crazy lot!! I knew that these clicking pics etc is slowing my pace since I couldnt resist and kept clicking pics! 🙄
Yes, the presentation went off well. Thanks 🙂
December 5, 2016 9:19 pm|
Congrats on the walkathon! Wow, 11km, great job!
December 6, 2016 11:23 pm|
Thanks a lot, Amie! 🙂
December 5, 2016 9:53 pm|
I am hearing a lot about the movie and I am intrigued. I wonder if I will like it or the expectations have been set too high.
11kms in 2 hours and 4 mins is pretty good and so good to know you enjoyed the experience. Lovely sneak peek this was.
December 6, 2016 11:26 pm|
I am sure you will like this movie. I am certainly going to watch it again.
Yes, it was my first time at any such event and I liked being part of this. The best was that it was organised so well and there were people from so many nationalities, age groups and backgrounds too! Fun and interesting experience. Thanks Parul!
December 6, 2016 9:08 am|
So Nice blog!
December 6, 2016 11:26 pm|
Thanks Anil.
December 8, 2016 11:13 am|
ah! 11 kms is quite an achievement! I’m not sure I could walk that distance. I saw Dear Zindagi too and there were quite a few dialogues that stuck with me. It was great having coffee with you, Shilpa!
December 8, 2016 7:08 pm|
A fruitful week indeed. It sure indeed is an achievement to do 11 kms in 2 hours. Wondering when I would get an opportunity to be a part of such an event!! Havent seen Dear Zindagi yet, have read some good reviews though about.