![]() 23rd April 2000 |
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Mastering the wavesBy Laila NasryHe was nine years old and fast getting bored with his weekly visits to the Ceylon Motor Yacht Club on Bolgoda Lake where he watched his Olympic sailor dad take to the water. Sailing was in young Rehan Dias' genes and he saw no adventure in sitting in the side lines and not being part of the action that happened every Sunday. The simple suggestion of "Why don't you go yachting" by his mother was enough to spur along the youngster's daring sails. "I just got into a boat and went," he says.
It was his most challenging race because "there were big waves unlike on Bolgoda. I rode the first wave and didn't see the second, coming. As a result I nose-dived and my boat capsized. It was the first time I capsized". The youngster quickly learned how to survive. Not only did he have to get his boat up on the water but he also had to deal with the damage. Though he was not placed in the top slots, the race was a great learning experience.
Ironically, Rehan hopes to become a technical engineer working with cars and planes. But of boats and sailing he says, "It has taught me that the race has not finished till the end. You can be last and then suddenly become first." He's a small guy, cute and mischievous, with an abundance of talent
and a spirit that is raring to go. No doubt a creator of 'big waves'. Gracias PatriciaBy Ruhanie Perera
Patricia who has danced her way through life since she was three, is in Sri Lanka on a two-week tour, co-ordinated by Dunstan Kelaart. Having captivated audiences in Colombo, Wadduwa, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy and Habarana, the 'dancing queen' made a special visit to the Prithipura Home for Retarded and Disabled Children in Hendala, run by the Ceylon Fellowship Service. The visit was organised by the Lions Club of Wattala. On April 16, the home was alive with excitement "for it isn't everyday that this sort of thing takes place" said M.A.P. Jayawardene, President of the Ceylon Fellowship Service. And it showed in the actions and on the faces of the children - they laughed, they clapped, they tapped their toes and they danced. Mr Jayawardene who has been with the Service since 1964, said, "We've never had a performance of this sort, it's a real treat for the children. All they want is a little love and affection."
The highlight of course was when she stopped dancing for them and reached out to dance with them. The invitation was accepted and the baila kings and queens of Prithipura danced to their hearts' content. Even those who couldn't stand touched her with adulation and one captivated admirer caught hold of her hand and refused to let go.
"Happy" that the show had been a success, "happy" that the children were happy, "happy" that she could bring a smile to their faces. Looking at this girl with the bright smile and the bubbly laugh and her sated audience, it was clear that she is more than a gifted dancer. She has the gift of making people... "happy". |
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