Well, I missed the Women’s National/Senior Racquetball Association 25^th National Championship at Los Caballeros Racquet and Sports Club in Fountain Valley, California, due to a family member’s illness.

I know the women who went had a great time and I’m looking forward to 2015’s tournament.

My sister was in the hospital for four weeks. She’s now at home continuing to recuperate from a serious illness. And I want to tell you that I did not give up racquetball even though I visited her for several hours every day and did a variety of other things.

I couldn’t quit racquetball because it is my release from the pressures of life.

There are racquetball players who look at playing as therapeutic. It helps them deal with their emotions, jobs, relatives, spouses, etc.

Several years ago my friend showed up for our weekly match. As she chatted before we started playing, she mentioned she was aggravated with one of her coworkers, so much so he made her angry, This from a woman who was usually very calm.

When we played our first game her strokes were right on target. She hit the ball hard and swiftly, so much so that before I even realized how well she was playing she won the game 15-4.

As we sat outside the court after that game, I complimented her on her finesse.

She smiled and said, “I think I was visualizing the ball as the head of that guy. Made it much easier to hit.”

She played just as well the next game. In fact I noticed her strokes were even stronger. Something psychological about her play that day, or perhaps therapeutic. She did mention the next week that she was over her mad at the coworker. I didn’t ask if that was because she had mentally mutilated his head.

But for the game to be therapeutic one has to concentrate on the play. Some days I’m good at concentrating. Other days I allow my life outside of racquetball to interfere with my play.

For instance, my sister’s illness tended to invade my brain even though I told myself to focus only on the game. In the back of my head I know I was reflecting on her stay in the hospital rather then where the ball was going when my opponent hit it back to me.

I suppose we can’t help letting real life interfere with our sports. The brain is a magical tool and sometimes we just can’t stop it from going to places that it should avoid.

Be well, keep playing, even when your brain interferes with your concentration.

Bye for now.