Who What Where

         Putting my match anxiety and ensuing frustration to the wayside was only one battle in the war I had to fight to emerge successful.  And yes, I was wounded by the maniacal anger at myself that handicapped me for most of the match, making the countless distractions all the more difficult to shut out. 

          As the crowd cheered, the birds chirped and the sun burned my skin, and I began to get dragged off the court by a variety of things not pertaining to the game itself.  I lost my focus.  I was present off the court, which was not where I needed to be. These distractions had a firm grip on my body and did not want to let go.  Being on the court was a surreal experience, overwhelmingly so.  Any noise or sudden movement seemed to dive-bomb me like a bird of prey.  The only way to avoid the distractions was to completely shut them out, but the lack of middle ground was not helpful either.  I couldn’t use the positive energy and support from the crowd without feeling imposing pressure at the same time. So, I chose not to hear the crowd. The slight shift in my focus made all the difference, and the match slowly started to turn in our favor.