The journey of life

Dr Fahim Chand | Monday April 18, 2022 06:00

That sparkling gaze seemed to foreshadow a radiant smile that never came. But when the planets aligned that smile shone briefly, revealing small teeth worn by the mastication of yesterday’s stale bread. The broad El Matador shoulders at once conveyed strength and a message that any attack would have grave repercussions.

Expansive pecs housed the machine heart within. The sky blue vest designed with holes, appointed by invisible mice. Scarred knees healed by infinite hope and divine intervention. Shoes revealed toes where the leather should have been. Here stood the king. And behind, his majestic castle. Walls of sky blue. Could there be any other colour? Embellished with dirt and the ravages of time and poverty, the royal grounds decorated with what the world may call junk. The address says 10 Azamor Street and the GPS would name this Villa Fiorito, Argentina. The king, none other than the greatest footballer this universe has ever seen; Diego Armando Maradona.

Here I fully expect intense protests from Generation Z. What about Lionel Messi? Cristiano Ronaldo? Great players but these are mere princes and there could only be one king. Messi has achieved football greatness surrounded by the finest club team, Barcelona, that the world has ever seen. Every player a superstar fulfilling steely support roles to Messi's lead character. In order to be considered the king, one has to conquer the world.

The FIFA World Cup is the epitome of conquests and it is here that Messi has failed miserably. True footballing greatness is not only defined by dominance on the field but the ability to inspire and make better players of your team mates. La Albiceleste led by Maradona lifted the World Cup in 1986. If one is to scoff when it is said that he single-handedly won his beloved Argentina the most coveted trophy, I challenge you to name two other players on that triumphant squad. Research the 1986 World Cup and it becomes crystal clear that in the competition's history, there is no one player that had a more direct influence in his country's triumph than Maradona.

Though I think from a footballing perspective the term greatness could certainly not be denied for Maradona, Messi, Ronaldo, Pele or Zidane among others. But what is greatness? German philosopher Friedrich Nietszche broadly defined HUMAN greatness as follows: What a great agent is, or their internal conditions (character) and what a great agent does, or their external conditions (achievements). While we elevate our sporting heroes and our favourite actors or academic giants on pedestals for their professional accomplishments, some may not fulfill the character requirements of true greatness. Maradona was a cocaine addict, Messi was found guilty of tax fraud and is well known for jealousy of certain players in the locker room; those of which were quickly dispatched from Barcelona. Players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Samuel Eto'o. But who then might be able to live up to Nietszche's exemplification?

Here I would like to make a suggestion and nominate Anjeze Gonxhe Bojaxhui. You could peruse the roster of every football club since the history of time and you would never find that name. But close your eyes and look deep inside and try to remember someone who has provided the catalyst to construct a smile on your face or inspired you to your own version of greatness. Permit me to jog your memory. Saint Teresa of Calcutta, affectionately known as Mother Teresa. Born August 26, 1910 in what is present day Skopje, North Macedonia, she founded in 1950 the Missionaries of Charity, a Roman Catholic religious congregation that has over 4,500 nuns present in 133 countries as of 2012.

The congregation manages homes for people who are dying of AIDS, leprosy and tuberculosis. It also runs soup kitchens, dispensaries, mobile clinics, children's and family counselling programmes, as well as orphanages and schools. One of the vows members take is to give "wholehearted free service to the poorest of the poor". She deservedly received the Nobel Peace prize in 1979.

Let's step back for a moment and analyse our own lives. Whenever we have a bad day, we know that things get better the moment we see our families and we immediately know there are better moments ahead.

Mother Teresa spent every day in the midst of great sorrow amongst the dying and forgotten of this world. She spoke of great loneliness and torture. There was no escape from the pleading eyes and withering bodies of the hungry and painfully sick and yet she persevered every single moment. Her bond with God unbreakable.

We are entertained and uplifted by our sporting heroes and it is in Maradona's impossible greatness that we dare to dream our own wild dreams. He came with the force of a prophecy and in his supreme skill and tortured triumph we strive to be the best we can be. The greatest football player ever debate will start and end with Diego Maradona but if you ask me what true greatness is, I'm heading for the North Macedonian hills.