It is with huge melancholy that I went to bed with on the Sunday night of 17th August, 2008 when Lee Chong Wei, our only hope, Malaysia’s only badminton player who had made it into the finals of the 2008 Beijing Olympics Men’s Badminton Singles was beaten by Lin Dan, China’s top seed and world number one. The next day, it was splattered all over the local daily newspaper with mixed commentaries from the whole nation. To quote an article of “The Star”, “What good is a very good player who on court becomes a worrier and not a warrior?” Truly, this justifies Malaysia’s futile attempts in inscribing herself a name among warriors but how often do warriors with mind of steel come by?
Watching Chong Wei sigh a deep heavy breath of despair and dour as he stood on the podium stolidly with a silver medal around his neck, it is hard not to have your heart quiver as well when you truly empathize with him. While many derogatory criticisms have marked this down as his weakest performance to-date against Lin Dan, not many could have understood the overwhelming mental pressure faced by the only Malaysian left capable of bringing home either a silver or a gold medal. Suffocated by the crowd too, who would not stagger when surrounded by approximately ninety thousand spectators all united in heart and deafeningly echoing “Go Lin Dan!”? – The only person’s name you probably would not want to hear at that very moment. His adversary, Lin Dan too was in his top-form and put up a match worthy indeed of world number one. Coupled with the fear and turmoil in him, Chong Wei’s body muscles tensed up and shots accuracy deserted him. All in all, “nerves” was the reason for Chong Wei’s devastating defeat.
What I admire in Chong Wei, who is now hailed a hero, though, is how he takes it all in. Sure, a silver medal itself is already considered a never before achieved feat by Malaysians but he must also live to rue the day of his defeat and bear with him the awful memories of that somewhat tragic experience which no doubt has now been painfully registered in his mind.
Psychologists speak aptly of two kinds of people. Negative feelings such as abhorrence, anguish, wrath, fear, anxiety, spite, and self-depreciation fill the mind of the first category. These people are constantly restive and never happy. Failures and illness easily conquer them. The latter group of people are however, filled with love, affection, patience, gentleness, joy, optimism, and self-confidence. Not necessarily perfect, they adopt an optimistic view of life and nurture a positive attitude to life by accepting the essential limitations of life and rejoice in their blessings received. Such are the grateful people. This does not mean that we should never convey sorrow or make complaints. People are neither stonework nor woodcraft, anyone will cry out when plunged deep in pain. It is human to do so but the negative attitude of being oblivious to the blessings showered down and relentlessly lamenting one's deficiencies and mumbling is deplorable.
How I wish to say proudly, with my head held up high that I belong to the latter group. Unfortunately, that would be hypocrisy, for in the face of adversity, I find myself, along with many others guilty of the former crimes, frequently complaining querulously and whining incessantly for “what could have been”, blaming others and leaving others to erase past mistakes. Albeit stereotypical to use the cliché “whining teenagers”, as a teenager, inexplicably, I agree that it is not entirely indefensible. Therefore, it is adulatory that Lee Chong Wei, who I feel is in the latter category has the pluck to walk out of that stadium like a celebrated hero and not a fallen star despite that crushing defeat. Had not Lin Dan previously portray himself with negative sportsmanship when beaten by Lee Chong Wei in Malaysia by throwing away his racket and taking off his silver medal? It is sad to note, however, that those who complain interminably too fall in the fist, negative category, making tactless statements and condemning the future of Malaysia’s sporting achievements. These people know only to point the finger out and not in.
In a nutshell, though many do not concur with my views, Lee Chong Wei was intrepid and did a great job to even make it to the finals. Cynical people with their harsh judgments should reexamine themselves and stop passing out calumnies. I too will take a leaf out of Chong Wei’s book and try my best to forgo those pessimistic views of mine, lest I be branded a spoiled brat.
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