To begin with, let me share an incident with you all. Chess is my hobby and I regularly take part in chess competitions. Earlier I used to perform well but over a period of time, I started losing matches and gradually lost motivation. Noticing this, my father remarked “Rome was not built in a day”. I asked him what it meant and he retorted, “Find it out yourself, only then will you realize its significance”.
Once when I was playing games on the computer, out of curiosity I surfed the internet to learn about this proverb. Believe me I could relate myself so much that I felt as if this proverb was coined specially for me. Let me elaborate.
Rome, the capital of the Roman Empire consisted of only a few hamlets when Augustus came to the throne. It took him, not one or two, but 40 years to transform the face of Rome into a metropolis. Hard work over such a long period, isn’t it, but the result is there to see. Rome booked a place in history for its grandeur. A major wisdom is derived from this portion of history. The word ‘Rome’ represents a great or huge task and the words ‘in a day’ indicate the span of time. The logic is very simple. Big achievements take its own time and demand loads of patience and perseverance. This was the medicine I needed and I got rejuvenated.
Incidentally around that time IGNOU announced a two year chess course. I enrolled for it and gave my best. This proverb proved to be my guiding light helping me overcome any negative thoughts. I could complete this course in just six months. One fine day, I received air tickets from IGNOU inviting me along-with my father to Delhi to collect the award for being the 1st one in India to have completed this course. I rushed to my father and hugged him and cried in joy.
The Essay on Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day
The expression "Rome was not built in one day" is given in English in John Heywood's (A Dialogue Conteinyng the Number in Effect of all the Prouerbes in the Englishe Tongue) , while Queen Elizabeth referred to the idea in Latin in an address at Cambridge in 1563. Rome wasn't built in a day. It had perhaps taken centuries. To begin with Rome was only a conglomeration [collection] of a few hamlets; ...
Do I need to say more? Perseverance has finally paid off. There can be no substitute to hard-work. Now I have made a resolution to pursue my chess career with renewed vigour.
By the way this topic could not have been announced at a better time as I could quote the most memorable incidence of my life. All said, let me use this opportunity to make an appeal. Let us all pledge to take up a noble cause and apply ourselves in achieving it, however long it may take.
Thank you all and have a good day.
Respected Madam, esteemed Judges, worthy Teachers and all my beloved Friends,
I bow in gratitude for providing me an opportunity to participate in this elocution contest. To begin with, let me share an incident of my life which had a profound impact on my choice of topic. Not many are aware that I am a chess enthusiast and participate in chess competitions every now and then. I presume I do fairly well in these competitions though never have topped any. Last year I felt I was stagnating and hitting a roadblock as I was not improving any further in the chess rankings. Another competition was in the offing but I withdrew myself from the competition at the last moment. My father enquired about this decision of mine and just passed a remark “Rome wasn’t built in a day”. I was like, what has this to do with chess? My dad retorted just find it out yourself, which will make you understand its relevance and significance.
Time passed by, but my inquisitiveness, would not budge and nagged me to find out what my father meant by saying those words. On one occasion when I sat on the computer, of-course with the sole purpose of playing games as we all do, I felt this urge to find out from internet what my Dad meant. Surfing through the net, I plunged into the ocean of knowledge and within minutes was inundated with vast data on this proverb. I sifted through these voluminous information and lo believe me I felt enlightened. With my state of mind over that period of time I was so impressed by this proverb that I felt as if it was coined solely for me. So impressed was I that I obtained a printout of relevant ones and have kept it for eternity. Let me share excerpts from them which are nothing short of treasure.
The Essay on A Days Time Youth Flower Day
Centuries apart Robert Herrick and Robert Frost wrote poems illustrating the brevity of life. 'To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time'; by Herrick and 'Nothing Gold Can Stay'; by Frost are the two poems which address the limited time humanity, especially the time of youth, has to spend in this life. Both authors use nature to symbolize the shortness of life and the time spent in youth. A symbol of ...
Rome at one point of time was the capital of the Roman Empire. It was the citadel of the Roman Catholic Church. It was Roman Emperor Augustas who is considered to be the real builder of Rome. Rome consisted of only a few hamlets when Augustus came to the throne. It took about 40 long years to transform the face of Rome into a metropolis, adorned with beautiful mansions, theatres, temples, public baths and many other public buildings, thereby booking a place in history for its grandeur.
A major wisdom is derived from this portion of history. A close look at the maxim will make it evident that the word ‘Rome’ represents a great or noble or a monumental task. And the words ‘in a day’ indicate the span of time. Logic is simple. Big achievements take its own time and needs loads of patience and perseverance.
After this piece of information, a change in me was imminent. Meanwhile as life unfolded, I came across and registered myself in a two year chess certificate course conducted by IGNOU. I put my heads down and diligently studied the course. At times, I found it to be very boring and on some obscure days, I used to wonder whether it was all worth it. But my this maxim helped me overpower the negative thoughts and enabled me to complete this course within six months. One fine day, to my astonishment, there was a call from IGNOU Delhi, informing me that I am the 1st person in India to have completed this course and that I was being welcomed to Delhi, at their expense to collect the award over there.
Do I need to say more? Perseverance has finally paid. There can be no substitute to hard-work. Let me use this opportunity to request you all to pledge to take our country to new heights, and pave way for our future generations to bask in its glory.