Tennis

           Not long ago I had a very rough day.  That evening I flipped through the television channels and discovered the coverage of the Sony Ericsson Open was on a day earlier than I expected.  Immediately I felt a little better.  It was as though things would come out okay as long as there is tennis to watch.  People already give me strange looks over the fact that I like tennis, so if you are rolling your eyes at me over my statement, that is okay.

                In my mind, tennis is a metaphor for life, and that is what I love about it.  In the end, success or lack of success is up to the individual, and no one else.  Yes, someone can be a better, more skilled player.  That is not up for debate.  What I mean is that if something goes badly, it is up to the individual to figure out how to end on top.  During a match there is not a team to place blame on.  Coaches are not on the court telling you what to do (although to my understanding the women can have coaches come to the court during certain tournaments).  It is just you, your strength, and your mind.  How is this different from life?

                What I also like is in the end being civil is expected.  Intentionally hitting someone with the ball is frowned upon.  There is rarely any fighting between the players across the net (with the umpire is a different story).  At the end of the match, no matter how much the two players have beaten each other up in play, there is a handshake.  If one player refuses, one must expect repercussions.  While some may argue with the umpire, his or her final word is respected and systems are in place to make sure calls are accurate.  Now, I am not saying everything is completely fair and even.  Have I seen some questionable calls?  The answer is a big yes.  In general this is a fair game that awards the stronger player of the two on that particular day.  It would be nice to see most things in life work this way.  But it does not.  And while I strive for this fairness in other parts of my life, I will remember that it is somewhere; even if it is just in the sport of tennis.