I caught the World Cup final early morning between Italy & France during the extra time, and saw the moments leading to Zidane head-butting into Marco Materazzi like a rhinoceros. It was such an intense half and hour and I felt that I could emphatise with Zidane's moment of temper.
How often I have also felt the temper brewing in me and could only want to vent it out as a form of release and as a form of retaliation. No one knows what was transpired between the two opposing players but I guess, it must have exceeded Zidane's threshold. That he would throw his reputation and final match-before-he-retires performance into the wind with the unglorified act.
I thought his potential in winning the Golden Ball award would vanish with his act. However, it was great that despite his actions and being sent off from the match, he had won the Golden Ball award. What was more comforting was that the President of France, Jacques Chirac paid a tribute to him despite what happened. While everyone in Paris and in other parts of the world wonder what prompted him to head-butt a player, still, they acknowledged his efforts in bring France to the 2nd place and his contributions to France football.
No man is infallible and I am sure he is equally devastated to have to end his career on such a note. He may not even have regretted his actions as no one except the two players knew what happened. However, what is more praiseworthy is the forgiveness and praise that his countrymen and supporters have continued to show him. This would be a good consolation for him when he looked back on his career.
When I reflect upon what I can forgive and what I cannot control (my temper), I feel both guilty and grateful. Guilty that there are so many things I felt that I could not forgive and am often angry about and how intolerable my temper can be. Grateful that there is a new day to start afresh and that SL & my mother are always willing to accept me despite my temper bursts.
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