Still in disbelief, we turned on the television to watch the final of the Australian Open – once again, Murray v Djokovic. I love watching tennis and the Australian Open always makes me look ahead to the Summer and Wimbledon … something to look forward to in all this gloom! Huge Murray fans in this house, it was obviously going to be a nail-biter but I missed the first set as I spoke to Becca in Rome – who was trying desperately to find a way of watching it on her computer – and then my friend, Fiona, who could only listen to the match on the radio. Nothing more frustrating! Settling down, at last, Djokovic had won the first set and went on to take the second. Andy had mountains to climb. He was playing so well but there was just no means of getting past Djokovic. Your heart goes out to him in that massive fish bowl of an arena, in front of millions of people … must be the loneliest place on earth. Andy Murray, however, never gives up! He has guts; the courage of a giant and I love him for that. He did lose, for the fifth time in succession, to Djokovic but he took it on the chin. Made me think, though …
January 2016 has been the utter pits! Every day seems to get a little worse and there is more sad news. It seems to be permanently dark and everyone is tired, worried and getting nowhere on the treadmill of life chasing what amounts to nothing more than an elusive figure on a bank balance. The national treasure who was Terry Wogan died this morning, too young; Andy Murray fought with all his might but faced disappointment, once more. His voice was breaking as he paid tribute to Kim, back home, who is about to give birth saying he would be on the next flight back. Then it dawned on me. He had something far more important to look forward to – the birth of his first child. At last, I could stop feeling sorry for him!
Andy Murray is an example to us all. As a little boy, he and his brother lived through the Dunblane massacre which shook the world. They were at the school on 13th March, 1996; they knew the children who were killed; they knew their teacher … they were even familiar with the gunman who mowed them down. That day is etched in their memories for the rest of time. The pain remains and I like to think, when Andy looks up and points his two fingers skyward after every win, he is doing it for his schoolmates so cruelly robbed of life.
The point is, Andy Murray fights on regardless. He just picks himself up and keeps right on going. That’s exactly what we all have to do. Life’s a bitch and then you die, as the saying goes but – quote time! One of my favourite songs is ‘The Dance’ by Garth Brooks – definitely worth a listen – and the chorus has the line ‘I could have missed the pain but I’d have had to miss the dance’. I love that line and the sentiment which was one shared by the late, great Sir Terry Wogan. You know me and my quotes – well, I found one of his which would seem a fitting end to this sad day: ‘So many things I miss. And, you know, I wouldn’t have missed them for anything.’ I know exactly what he means. Thanks for the memories and God speed.
This is Trish, signing off but not without a special shout out, as promised, to my dear friends Christina and Stephen – remember, I will NEVER let you dry the top!! To everyone else, as always, nobody forced you to read it!
