Our country is broken into millions of little pieces. Why? Because every human being I know is broken. Can we ever be put back together? That depends.
We are always faced with two choices with our brokenness. We can take those jagged pieces of our lives and we can slash, and we can stab, and we can threaten, and we can hurt. That is certainly an option all of us have chosen at one point or another.
Or we can take those pieces and make them into a mosaic with others that is more beautiful than anything we could have created alone with just our own brokenness.
The choice is always ours. To hurt or to heal. No matter what anyone else does, we still have that choice.
Today would have been the first day of our three annual winter retreat camps where we bring together campers and staff of all colors, religions, genders, sexualities, politics, and economics and have dialogue about changing systemic inequities in our country and in sports. By using our Three Crowns • Positive Attitude • Full Effort • Good Sportsmanship℠ as a template, we focus on changing the world for the better for all, collectively and individually.
Because of the pandemic, we cannot gather this winter. But that does not mean we stop the work.
These campers and these staff members have helped me become a part of a much more beautiful mosaic than I was ever a part of before. I was afraid before. Of what I would lose. Of what I would have to give up. And then I met them. All colors, religions, genders, nationalities.
They welcomed me to learn. They didn’t have to. Because of them, I don’t see myself as “apart from” them. I see myself as “a part of” them. And that has made all the difference. But I am only “a part of” them if I work to help create the same opportunities I have been given in this life, which I received through nothing more than luck of the draw.
Thank you to all the campers and staff who continue to help me let go of my fear of “the other”; who teach me to reexamine my long-held beliefs about those who I have perceived as “different” than I am; and who are leading the way to an even more beautiful TLC.
Very inspiring Neal, thank you!
Thanks, Mike!
Thank you Neal!
This is timely for me to chose to heal today.
Sad to hear the winter camps aren’t happening. But as you have shown we can connect, understand and support one another across any distance and difference!
Peace, solidarity and cheers to all in the very beautiful and thoughtful TLC family.
Thank you, Dave, just what I needed to hear today…
TLC is more than tennis camp for us. It’s a place to go in the summer to revel in inclusion. We dig it.
Jeff and Aileen
Love it! Can’t wait to see you again…
That was just a beautiful way to express what so many of us are thinking and feeling.
Thank you.
You’re very welcome, Mona.
Well said Neal! We miss you all and look forward to seeing you this summer or sooner:) Keep up your positivity and enthusiasm as it is a beacon of hope that we all need during this time.
Greg and Parker
Well, you are one of my inspirations, Greg. Thanks!