Mother Francis Michael taught me how to play tennis, and field hockey too. She was tall, had an imposing frame and a booming voice. I was 13 years old, attending boarding school at Loreto Convent in Eldoret, Kenya. We played on red dirt and I loved both games.
One thing for sure, along with other subjects, she taught me how to focus on the tennis ball. No blinking. No being squeamish about how fast the ball may have been hurtling toward me. No distractions.
It’s easy to get into the habit of looking away from what should stay front and center of our attention. In the game of life, every single day, it helps to be aware of each play. That’s the kind of attention required of us, and of our teams. When someone is said to have ‘dropped the ball’ we all know what that means and how costly it can be.
Although keeping your eyes on the ball may appear to be an obvious command, researchers have had a field day exploring the physiology required to actually do so. But that’s for another time.
Being even mildly conscious of how easy it is to gaze away, and the consequences of doing so, is a big lesson in itself. Split seconds and a car is hit, or an opportunity whizzes by. Our attention is often distracted by our technology. Who hasn’t noticed that our heads are craned forward and down, pouring over words and images racing across our devices! Focusing on the ball is a hard skill to come by these days. As a result, we’re often a danger or disappointment to ourselves and others.
What do we do?
It’s a much-needed clarion call for sure and is worth repeating again and again:
Keep your eye on the ball in all areas of your life …
