Wimbledon Tennis Mens Singles June 2012
It has been a long hard week for Andy with a further emotional drain at the conclusion of the Wimbledon mens singles final (8th July 2012). The following morning (9th July 2012) the papers cheekily headlined, ‘More bawls please’. Cruel in one sense as it deeply undermines the amount of hard   work / dedication an athlete has to endure to achieve success. NB Dreams that may lead to cream is not the main motivation. Sure, money helps but the BBC pitched it correctly on the eve of the match suggesting that, ‘Its not about the money or the glory, its about making history’.

At the instant post match courtside interview, I saw many of the audience in emphathy with Andy Murray as he tried unsuccessfully to hold back his tears of loosing to his now 7 times Wimbledon winner, Roger. Andy’s first words were, ‘I’m getting closer’. From this very line alone we can learn a lot.

In life we get closer to our dreams and goals, taking exams, aiming for employment, having a family and in parallel hoping & praying that all will be well. It is our human spirit that keeps us striving for survival yet with some it is fueled by ego. As we pursue our goals we often have to take stock, re-group, strategise and then try again. Andy will have to do this. He can feel good that he gave his goal his best shot & has made history in many ways.

As for the rest of us, although we pin our hopes on others maybe we need to understand our own motivations & potential achievements. How can we make a difference to others in a world where we are so busy and eventually tired at the end of the day? I’m a believer that everyone has the potential to succeed yet the sad truth is that not everyone is fortunate to be presented with the opportunity – as food, education or even a safe place to sleep at night really are a unfairly distributed due to poor world economics.

As many of you know I have a dis-taste for celebrity and the follow-ship they invoke. Its artificial lifestyle is something many chase. The perpetual pursuit of materialism is also never ending. I have to say that when celebrities do try to highlight issues they are using their fame for some good. However, one does not need to be a celebrity to make a difference. In many religions the concept of sharing or distributing ones wealth is common. Some suggesting that 10% is reserved for giving back to community projects or charity programmes.

Let us return to Andy’s line,’I’m getting closer’. The meaning of this phrase is deeper than just a  journey in the pursuit of sporting excellence. It provides us with words of inspiration – the potential for all of us to work towards not necessarily a personal gain but towards become better for others – To gain power & knowledge to change this world and harmonise it so that it is fair for all.

Categories: 2012, Anti-Poverty