BADMINTON

Life is like badminton. Sometimes you whack the feathers off that little bird. At other times you catch the full brunt of taut wires strung across the racquet. They rocket you forward towards a fate unknown. Will you land softly in the grass and have a chance to recover? Or will you meet another devastating blow that sails you across the net dividing two opposing forces? It’s anybody’s guess.

The game is played on a field. The basic layout is set, with official dimensions by which to measure it off. But more often than not it’s set up ad hoc. The surrounding terrain where the game takes place determines the playing field.

In the backyard, a tree or errant wire creates obstacles. On the beach, the space is wide open. But the wind usually looms as a larger factor. Plus the soft sand makes footing more uncertain. Solid ground makes the push offs more controlled. But then, the sand provides a softer cushion if you stumble and fall.

It’s all relative. It’s impossible to predict every scenario. No matter how much preparation is made to address contingencies, unforeseen ones always present themselves. We either adapt or let the unforeseen contingency win that round.

I recall the day I graduated with my master’s degree. I worked hard, jumping many formidable hurdles along the way. I felt proud of my accomplishment. Walking down the aisle, with my gown flowing freely in the breeze at the outdoor amphitheater where the ceremony was held, I looked at all the smiling faces gathered to watch loved ones accept their degrees. In the crowd I spied my loved ones gazing at me. I beamed with a grin stretching from earlobe to earlobe. On that day, I whacked the badminton shuttlecock of life so hard it split in two.

Then too, I’ve experienced the other side of that scene. Getting smacked back and forth by events in my life leaves me wondering whether I’m coming or going. Seeing the world flying past at breakneck speed is a priceless view, regardless of the pain. It offers a perspective rarely seen under normal circumstances and provides insight not easily gained through other venues.

It’s similar to the time I drove to work on a lonely stretch of freeway one winter morning. I hit an icy patch and lost control. My car started whirling on the slick road. Having a 360 degree view of the world spinning around me was interesting. I feared sliding off into the ditch and I hoped no other car approached to crash into me, but the view itself was spectacular. In all my years driving, I’d only seen the road behind me through the rearview mirror. Now the entire breadth was laid out in front of me in full panoramic vision.

I stopped spinning, facing in the right direction at the entrance ramp to a rest stop. I pulled into the rest stop, cleaned my pants, and then proceeded to work. Though the event was scary, the experience was exhilarating, plus I gained insight.

No matter what befalls me, I can pick myself up and choose to go on. Could I have learned that lesson in another way? Probably, but why not take advantage of learning when it presents itself?

So, whether you’re the racket and playing at the top of your skill level, or whether today you’re the shuttlecock getting knocked around, make sure you stay in the game. The next point may be yours.

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