I finally got around to watching the cult classic, Field of Dreams last month, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it ever since.

It’s a story of broken baseball dreams. Of author Terence Mann. Of Archie “Moonlight” Graham, who played only one professional match and never got a chance to bat.

But more than anything, it is a story of sports and life. And a son and his dad. (If you haven’t watched it, go do that. Now. Trust me, you’ll shed a tear or two).

Watching it reminded me of why I started writing in the first place, back in June 2020 in the middle of the pandemic.

One random afternoon, my brother said, “Why don’t you write about cricket? You talk about it all the time. You used to enjoy writing essays in college. And you had a broken dream. I have an idea—You should start a blog and call it ‘Broken Cricket Dreams.’”

That was it. That’s how BCD was born.

Five years, 400 posts, and 685,500 words later, I am still writing.

Just like in our 200th Article Special which was filled with music from Frank Sinatra to John Lennon, this one is shaped by movie quotes.

1. “Words And Ideas Can Change the World…What Will Your Verse Be?”

Movie: Dead Poets Society (1989)

“No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world.

We don’t read and write poetry because it is cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion.

Medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.’

[Walt Whitman’s Poetry] ‘…That you are here. That life exists. An identity. The powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.’

What will your verse be?”

Reflection #1

I think about this quote often.

In school, we were always sorted into boxes. You were either a “math or science” kid or a “literature and humanities” kid. I was placed in the STEM category, went on to study mathematics, and now work with computer technology.

But there was always another side. I liked geography. Loved music. Shakespeare and the Greek writers moved me.

Maybe I never had to choose just one. Maybe what makes life rich is the mix of the ‘noble pursuits’ that keep life going and the poetry that gives it meaning.

Because words and ideas can change the world. Sometimes, they start revolutions. Other times, they quietly shift the way someone sees things.

Dead Poets Society is in itself a work of art that changed the way I view society. And what a soulful performance by the late Robin Williams. Those speeches stayed with me since middle school.

Oh captain, my captain. Whatever my verse will be, I just hope it is honest.

2. “If You Build It, He Will Come.”

Movie: Field of Dreams (1989)

“The one constant through all these years Ray, has been baseball….

America…it’s been erased like a blackboard. Rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time.

This field, this game, it’s part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good. And it could be again…Oh, people will come Ray. People will most definitely come.” 

Reflection #2

This quote teaches me two things.

One: sports transcends boundaries. What baseball is to the US, soccer is to Brazil, and cricket is to India—these sports are a cultural heartbeat that connects folks from different walks of life.

Two: “If you build it, they will come” applies to more than just a ghostly baseball fantasy. It holds true in any business. If you do the groundwork and make something worthwhile, people will come.

For me, that was the blog. For years, I felt like I was writing into the oblivion. But now, people have started to come. And I am grateful for every connection this journey has brought me.

3. “Is This Heaven? No, It’s Iowa.”

Movie: Field of Dreams (1989)

“Is there a heaven? Oh yeah…It’s where dreams come true.

….Maybe, this is heaven.”

Reflection #3

This one hits especially close. I spent four years in Iowa and looking back, those were some of the best years of my life. That place shaped me in ways I am still discovering.

We are always chasing the next thing—the next degree, job, or milestone. But sometimes, if we just stop for a moment and look around, we realize that maybe this is enough. Maybe, this, indeed, is heaven.

And the final scene from Field of Dreams? Still gets me every time.

4. “Let me speak endlessly, kindly. And even by accident—Let no harm come from my words.”

Movie: Anand (1971)

“Mann ko aashirvaad Baba. Jo sada hasta rahe.

Main Kabhi chup na rahun. Bolta rahun. Beshumar Bolun. Achha Bolun.

Galti se bhi burai na nikle mere moon se.”

Translation

“Bless my heart, old sage. That I shall always laugh.

Let me never be silent. Let me speak endlessly, kindly.

And even by accident—Let no harm come from my words.”

Reflection #4

One of the most beautiful moments of Hindi cinema.

Anand, a man going through terminal illness, chooses to live with joy even while knowing that his days are numbered. And when he asks for blessings, he doesn’t pray for healing, but for the strength to keep spreading light until his last breath.

That’s a motto I’d like to live by.

5. “Each Man’s Life Touches So Many Other Lives.”

Movie: It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

“Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. And when he isn’t around…it leaves an awful hole, doesn’t it?”

Reflection #5

I will keep writing. Some pieces might spark something in a reader just enough for them to feel that they are not the only one. Others won’t. But that’s okay, I’ll keep writing anyway.

It’s A Wonderful Life reminds me how precious life really is and not to take any of it for granted. We are all here for a reason and our words, work, or even a passing conversation can have an impact far beyond what we’ll ever realize.

So, Why Do I Write?

Sometimes my brain gets overcrowded. I am wrestling with my thoughts, going through internal debates. It can get muddled up there pretty quickly.

Writing helps me sort through it. It brings me clarity. Sometimes, I don’t even know what I’m really thinking until I write it down. My favorite days are the ones where I start with a pre-conceived notion and over the course of research and a few edits, my own viewpoint shifts completely.

In a way, every piece is its own journey of self-discovery.

****

I never thought I’d be a writer. But it turns out this is the one thing that brings me real flow. Maybe even more than watching or playing cricket itself.

When I am writing, I lose track of time. It’s well past midnight as I write this. I should sleep, but well, I’m still here trying to tie all the loose ends together.

This wasn’t the dream. But maybe, it’s something even better.

The freedom to think, to express whatever I want, whenever I want. To be able to share it with the world, and more than anything, to have a family that supports me no matter what.

Maybe, this is heaven.

****

Thank you all for reading and supporting over these past few years. I appreciate you all.

Before you Go, Consider Supporting and buying my book on Amazon!

Amazon Link: Power Play: 10 Life Lessons from the Sport of Cricket: Border Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21 Edition

If You Enjoyed This Article, You May Enjoy These Philosophical Movie Cricket Pieces:

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• 61 Best Sport Movies, TV Shows, & Documentaries (Updated 2023) – Hollywood & Bollywood Combined
• Top 10 Life Lessons From India Vs Australia 2020: Courage, Character, Resilience
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BCD#400 © Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, LLC 2023. Originally published on 07/11/2025. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).