Braveness

"Always be brave children"

It was in the evening when we - my two sisters and I - were returning home from the temple. My elder sister was 15 years old, I was 9, and my younger sister was just 6 years of age.As we passed by an open field, we heard a wail for help by some one. My elder sister asked both of us to follow her and ran to see who was crying.What we saw was shocking.Three big boys were beating up a small boy from our school.They were asking for money,which the boy had because he was going to a shop to buy some things his Mother had asked him to get.Knowing that he had money,the three big boys attacked him and wanted to snatch his money away.The little boy cried for help.My elder sister ran forward,grabbed one of the big boys and pulled him away.She also pushed other two boys away from the little boy,all alone. I was mortally afraid to step forward to help.Yet gathering courage,my younger sister and I also ran up and helped our didi.The three boys ran away and then we escorted the little boy first to the shop and then to his home.But all the time,I was shivering with fear.Had my elder sister not been there,I would have run away.

    

   Back at home ,our parents patted our backs for our courage.But then,I admitted that I was very afraid of stepping forward.The next day,our Father started a systematic regimen of physical exercises for all three of us.He also taught us how to fight even bigger people  judo,karate,some boxing etc.He said, "I want all three of you to be brave children."

From then on,we could realise our lives changing for the better.Exercise helped us acquire not just stronger bodies but also stronger minds.We never wished to brave with weaker children,but we wished to stand up against anybody who came to be arrogant and beat us up without reason.We were not goondas,but we became brave children,never giving in to rude and crude behaviour of others.Exercises also helped us to become good players of various games,And we became strong enough to play some games after school,return home in time, and yet have the strength to study well for some time.My parents were medical doctors,and they knew the all-round importance of physical exercises. Now,when my sisters and I look back on those days,we thank our parents for teaching us the importance of strong body and strong mind.

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