If tennis balls could talk, they would scream. So would we. In fact, we do. Like the fuzzy little orbs, we feel ourselves hurtle helplessly through the air of life’s circumstances, get whacked solidly by some unexpected crisis and careen toward the next calamity. Charlotte Elliott spoke of being, “tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt.”
Tennis balls cannot talk, of course. That’s important to remember. Unlike the gladiatorial theater of old, a tennis match is not about the ball being pummeled. Although hundreds of eyes follow it back and forth across the net, they are not really interested in it. What everyone wants to know is what the player on the receiving end will do with it; and when he does what he does, he, not the ball, receives the cheers, gasps or groans.
It is important to remember because, in the situations of life, we are not the ball. We are the player. Our helplessness is not that of hurtling through the air, but of receiving an oncoming challenge. We cannot control its approach, but we can adjust ourselves to meet it. Recognizing this distinction demands a decision. Be a ball – be a victim of circumstances. Be a player – become skilled in life.
No comments:
Post a Comment