“Kami akan berbincang mengenai apa yang terbaik demi masa depan dan kariernya. Buat masa ini, saya minta dia fokus untuk menduduki Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) terlebih dahulu.”

- Nurul Hudah Jamil, coach of para sprinter S Thavanesvaran

COMMENT | ‘House of the rising son: Thavanesvaran's home run’ is a wonderfully titled piece about how para sprinter S Thavanesvaran intends to leverage his success in sports to improve his life. It is also one of the feel-good stories of the year. A story that illustrates (although probably not intentionally) how Malaysians live, work and play together beyond the highly partisan politics that dominate the news cycles.

Anyone who reads my pieces knows that I am not prone to sentimentality. The story of Thavanesvaran who emerged as the best athlete in the recently concluded Asean Para Games - winning three gold and one silver - however, reminded me of a few axioms that I thought I would share departing from my usual forays into the swamp of Malaysian politics.

In no particular order, here are five takeaways that I think important.

1. Bad luck means you strive harder

"I was unlucky, as when I was born, the Dr pulled my left leg too hard and this damaged nerves below my calf. I could not walk or run until I was in Standard One," said Thavanesvaran.

The story could have ended there. Instead, it becomes a story where luck is irrelevant. What is important is the will to succeed. The drive that comes with adversity. If this sounds like a cliche, fair enough, but we are really talking about good old-fashioned gumption...