The Little Things
I was cleaning out a drawer yesterday and discovered a tennis racket string dampener. This tiny little object is placed between the strings just above the throat of the racket near the handle. It is about the size of a nickel. I purchased a tennis racket a year ago and neglected to insert the dampener. I had always used one previously. A dampener is supposed to reduce the vibrations when hitting a tennis ball. It doesn’t necessarily help your stroke or your play. This morning, I inserted the dampener in my racket. I noticed when I was warming up, that I was hitting the ball much better. When I got around to the actual match, I certainly was playing much better. The other players noticed my improved tennis skills.
It is said that tennis is ninety per cent mental and ten per cent physical. I don’t know whether that is true or not. I only know once I began playing better, I gave the little dampener credit for my improvement. Or was it just what I believed, so I made it come true? There is a book titled “The Inner Game of Tennis” by Tim Gallwey. Here are some words from this wonderful book.
Freedom from stress does not necessarily involve giving up anything, but rather being able to let go of anything, when necessary, and knowing that one will still be all right.
Each self is endowed by birth, regardless of where the birthplace, with an instinct to fulfill its nature. It wants to enjoy, to learn, to understand, appreciate, go for it, rest, be healthy, survive, be free to be what it is, express itself and make a unique contribution.
Freedom from stress happens in proportion to our responsiveness to our true selves, allowing every moment possible to be an opportunity for self to be what it is and enjoy the process. As far as I can see, this is a lifelong learning process.
I believe that once I began to hit the ball so well this morning that I began to relax. There was less tension and when an athlete relaxes they play much better. The key, of course is that I had a strong belief and my body followed my mind.
Years ago Lou Ann and I went to hear Famous Amos speak. He had on a sweatshirt and it said ‘Relax’. I encourage everyone to find a way to relax and know that it is all in Divine order anyway. So why worry? From my relaxed heart to yours, Thomas