Spice of Life | Starstruck moments, indelible memories to treasure for life

Attending a concert, catching a glimpse of an actor or a performer bring a unique sense of joy and flurry of excitement. It becomes a memorable occasion to treasure for life. Its value and feel are incomparable and can’t be quantified by money.

The happiness exuded from such an encounter can’t be obtained from materialistic possessions, riches or wealth; rather, it stems from the experience itself. The ecstasy of a chance interaction is beautiful and magical. It’s more than just getting an autograph or a selfie, it’s about the moment, the personal connection, and the emotional attachment that ensues.

One of the most prominent aspects of meeting celebrities is getting the time to express acknowledgement and appreciation face to face to the individuals who have toiled hard and made a difference. Whether it’s expressing gratitude to a musician whose songs have provided comfort and solace to myriad souls or admiring and adoring an actor whose talent has motivated the lives of umpteen people or a player whose powerful performance has puffed up the morale of millions. Such encounters foster a sense of connection and validation that goes beyond material wealth.

Standing and waiting in queue for superstar Rajnikanth in Darjeeling made me realise how beautiful the world of stars and celebrities is. The wait is worth the experience. Looking at the face of my excited and anxious daughter who just wanted to have a glimpse of the famous personality, I too felt a similar yearning in my heart and mind. Taking a selfie is a craze in the teen brigade and I too joined the gang, soaking in the excitement and elation of meeting and greeting the charming actor.

Reminiscing my interaction with yesteryear director Yash Chopra fills me once again with joy. I can clearly recount the thrill and excitement of seeing him and trying to figure out if he was there in reality. It was only when my better-half confirmed that the gentleman was indeed the one and only Yash Chopra, I was over the moon. It was a surreal moment to engage in a conversation with the ‘King of Romance’.

The list doesn’t end here, meeting players of Kings XI Punjab, quiz master Derek O’Brien, and comedy king Kapil Sharma, made me super excited.

Sitting on a couch recounting the precious moments and pondering on the lives of celebrities, the little child in me wants to feel the rush of adrenaline once again with a new person, new face and new personality. But diving deep into their lives, I feel it’s no easy task for anyone to be in their shoes. It requires hard work, patience, perseverance, and persistence to paint the canvas of life, which is not visible to all and sundry. We just see the tip of the iceberg of how fortunate they are to achieve towering heights in their lives.

Guiding the younger generation, American inventor Thomas Edison gave the perfect recipe for the sweet taste of reaching the pinnacle when he said: Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. He succinctly captured the right ingredients to achieve success.

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The writer is a freelance contributor