Have just finished re-reading, “The Inner Game of Tennis,” by Timothy Gallwey. It was one thing to read it BEFORE I learned to play and quite another to revisit the text now that I have been on the court about 15 years. My favorite chapter is entitled, “Let It Happen.” The idea is to not judge or over-analyze your shots when you’re playing. Instead, just swing with a vision of where you want the ball to land. At my age, I really have no other option anyway.

Long gone are my days of, “making things happen.” Now I’m just happy to have anything happen. I’ve learned that events will unfold naturally despite my prodding and pushing. They will happen in their own time—not mine. Thus, the reason for the picture above which I took in my kitchen this afternoon.

Several months ago, I placed two avocado pits in water, hoping they would grow into plants that a YouTube video showed me was possible. After almost two months of zero action, one finally began to sprout a long, lovely shoot! The other? All it did was grow a curly, weird, corkscrew conglomerate of roots. Nevertheless, I watered them both and kept them in a sunny window. Several times I was tempted to toss the ‘non-producer,’ but didn’t, just in case.

Last week, when the first plant was almost two feet high, the second one, FINALLY put forth a good-sized sprout! I was in awe. Today, it actually has leaf buds. Who knew? Had I just thrown it out as I almost did several times, I would never have fully appreciated what it was capable of. Indeed, I may not have known it was capable of anything at all.

People are like that. Some blossom madly without any semblance of effort, while others appear to be duds not worthy of our time. So, I remind myself to be patient—with everyone and everything. I’ve extended that equanimity to my husband and children, and also to my tennis game.

Last week on the court, my partner and I were down 5-0. She was ready to give up. I told her: “Be patient. Don’t force it. Let it happen.” We won, 7-5, 6-4. No, it doesn’t always happen like that. Not in tennis or in life. The world turns in spite of us and we’re lucky for the ride.