"Do You Like Playing Tennis?"

This morning, I woke up to a text from my brother in our siblings WhatsApp group.  It is a picture of a trophy which reads: Hong Kong Doctors Union, Table Tennis Tournament, Men's Division B Singles, Champion.

My brother also shared a picture of him and his opponent in the final match -- an 88-year-old doctor who is his sempai who trains under the same coach.  Oh.  This is the first time I hear that he trains under a table tennis coach!

"How do you find time to do that?" I was quite surprised.  "You already have a busy full time job.  Plus, you hike, travel a lot, go to oil painting class, and learn photography.  Do you still practice Tai-chi?  How about playing drums and tennis?  What other activities do you do?  You must make amazingly full use of your time!"

"You didn't know your brother is a superman till now, do you? 🤣"  He seems proud of his packed schedule.  

Superman continued with his update, "I actually just started learning contemporary Chinese ink painting. Already attended two classes.  I have to pause my oil painting class.  Too busy.  Can't do it. 😅"

Finally, Superman has encountered his Kryptonite.  

To reciprocate, I provided him an update of my activities.  "I go to Aikido three times a week.  We go to the gym three times a week on non-Aikido days.  I have been going to a hip hop workout class at the rec center on Mondays.  I still do PT, following an app that my doctor subscribed for me.  I bake bread once a week.  Every ten days, I publish a blog post.  Every day I have to water plants, pick tomatoes and tend to garden chores.  When someone books me, I go give gardening talks on behalf of the Master Gardeners Speakers Bureau.  By the time I finish the three bookings I have on hand, I will have done ten talks this season.  I was told that I am the busiest Master Gardener speaker in the entire state of Maryland!  On top of all that, I have to cook and do housework.  I pretty much only sit down to eat and do Duolingo Japanese and Spanish in the evening." 

Now that I list them out, even I am a bit shocked by what I do . . .  😳 

"In the basement, I have a pile of fabric awaiting me to turn them into clothes, a bunch of gourds and wood blocks waiting for me to carve, and I still have to practice playing ukulele . . .   🫣"

"You out do me.  Wonderful!  🙌 " my brother texted back.  

I can't believe Superman just conceded defeat!  😮 

************

When I was in 12th grade, we had a new PE teacher.  We came to find out that she was married to the leader of the Hong Kong Olympic team.  Mrs Pang, herself, used to be an athlete in the Hong Kong Table Tennis Team.  

One day, Mrs Pang gathered the few of us who were school house captains.  "Do you like playing tennis?" she asked.

We looked at each other without saying a word.  She asked again, "Do you like playing tennis?"

A brave friend said no.

"Have you played tennis?" Mrs Pang asked.

My friend said no.

"You have never played tennis.  Then, how can you tell me you don't like playing tennis?  You have not even tried.  You have no basis to draw such conclusion and make that statement."  Mrs Pang was annoyed.

"What do you do for fun outside of school?" she pointed at another one of my friends.  I felt so lucky that she did not pick me.

My friend hesitated, but replied honestly, "I go home, do my homework and watch TV." 

"That's it?" Mrs Pang looked exasperated.  She turned to look at all of us, "And you all?  What do you do?  You, too, just go home and watch TV?"  

None of us dared to lift our heads.  I, for one, definitely did not want to have eye contact with her. 

Mrs Pang let out a sigh.  

"You are so young.  There are so many things to do.  You may or may not like them.  Go find out.  Give things a try!  One day when your grandchildren ask you what you did when you were young, what are you going to say?  'Oh, I just went home to do homework and watch TV'?  Don't you find it lame?  'I was young but I did nothing with my youth.'  How do you face your children and grandchildren?  How do you face yourselves?"

After that lecture, Mrs Pang offered to teach us to play tennis for free.  Not only did she pay for the court bookings, but she even provided tennis rackets and the many tennis balls that we kept losing.  

I truly enjoyed the tennis classes, although I am a lousy player to this day.  What Mrs Pang did for us was not part of her purview as a PE teacher.  Yet, that was one of most precious lessons I learned in my life.   

Be curious, stay curious.  It makes you an interesting, happier person.  Because you are interesting, you will meet other interesting people.  Don't ever worry about looking bad and, thus, shy away from trying new things.  Your courage to risk looking bad makes you the most attractive person in the room.  

Be brave, be bold, be curious.

P. S.  In case you need ideas for something new to try, consider coming to Aikido. 😁