Tennis Days

In the 1960’s, 70’s & 80’s  the sport of tennis was big! There were many tennis clubs around the U.S. and abroad with lots of members. Sports fans were glued to their TVs and filled the stadiums during the big tournaments: The U.S. Open, The French Open & Wimbledon. Those were the days of Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, Margaret Court, Billie Jean King, Jimmy Connors, Chrissy Evert, Bjorn Borg, Ilie Nastase, Evonne Goolagong, John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova, Ivan Lendl, Butch Waltz, Arthur Ashe, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and more! Those were the days of wooden racquets, graphite racquets, socks with pom poms, short shorts, ruffled tennis bloomers, Tretorn sneakers, white tennis balls, tennis sweaters and some not so great sportsmanship on the court by the “bad boys” of tennis.

My parents introduced me to tennis at a very young age, as they were fans and good players of this fun and challenging sport. Always hanging out on the court when they played, I was able to observe how it was done. I began playing at the competitive level by the age of 8.  I used to play matches against experienced grown-ups because it helped me become a better and stronger player.  Weekdays included lots of practice…weekends were spent at tournaments and often times included out of town travel.  It was definitely a commitment with lots of discipline required, but I gladly accepted and enjoyed the challenge.  Somehow, I managed to find the time to fit in just being a kid!

There are so many fond memories of those days and lots of “butterfly in the stomach“ memories too. This particular memory was a, pinch me I must be dreaming moment. It was around 1975 ….Chrissy Evert saw me working on my serve one day at the Camelback Racquet Club (the indoor-outdoor club where the Phoenix Racquets of World Team Tennis would often practice).  She walked down to the court where I was practicing, watched a few of my serves and then told me I had “the most beautiful service motion she had ever seen”! You can imagine how that made this then, 10 year old little girl feel! She was and will always be my tennis idol … her grace, steadiness, and sportsmanship on the court I so much admired and will forever admire!

I went on to have a fun and successful tennis career as a junior player with some great rankings in the southwest & nationally along with high school state championships. My doubles partner and I were ranked #1 in the Southwest for many years in a row and were high school doubles partners as well. We made such a great team, always encouraging each other on and off the court. We had great flow and timing, a big part in a successful game of doubles. When I was around 15 years old, my dad and I had the incredible experience of playing in the National Father/Daughter tournament in Flushing Meadows, NY, site of the US Open! What a thrill and honor it was!  We were moved indoors on clay due to rain… not a favorite court surface for this fast paced, hard hitting girl, but we had great fun … a treasured memory!

By the time I was college bound, I was burned-out and wanted to enjoy simply being a student. Passing on a scholarship wasn’t easy but I knew it was the right decision.  I am often asked if I regret that decision… I don’t regret it, I knew my mind and body were tired. I knew I was probably disappointing others but I also knew I did not have that competitive edge nor the build to take tennis to the big time level. I had my day in the sun and I loved it but was ready for a new chapter!  I played intramurals in college and had a blast!  I will always have the sport to play & the life lessons learned along the way… those tennis days taught me discipline, hard work, dedication, sportsmanship, how to lose and win graciously, the importance of exercise to maintain good health and the true meaning of respectful competition.  I will be forever thankful to my parents for introducing me to the great sport of tennis….I will always remember fondly, those tennis days!
♥️, Jana

John Gardiner’s Tennis Ranch on Camelback, 1967

Bloom Wherever Life Plants You!

This past year has been deeply challenging. Fear & uncertainty have tried to take the lead in my thoughts. We all have had to navigate this odd time in our own way, perhaps finding ourselves planted in unfamiliar territory, possibly learning a lot about our comfort level in solitude or perhaps not sure how the bills were going to get paid.

It is hard to believe it has been a little over a year since we learned we had been hit with a strange virus and had to go into shutdown mode.  I remember waking each morning thinking it was all just a bad dream and then, reality would set in … I had to figure this out, I had to bloom where I was planted, but how could I possibly bloom during this time when we were all hurting… it felt incredibly awkward and selfish to even think about marketing or selling my art.

After a few weeks glued to the news, I shut it off and tuned into creating….not to sell, just simply creating painted hearts out of watercolors, with notes from my heart attached …notes of support and gratitude to those that had been hit hard with this mysterious bug. I mailed the heart notes to hospitals, nursing homes and other care facilities. I mailed notes to farms, grocery stores, drug stores and restaurants, thanking them for working tirelessly providing essentials. I hurt for those that had lost loved ones, lost jobs and businesses, or simply were just feeling lost.

I began to realize that my strength was important…important for my family, for others and for me. I could not let fear prevail! I did not have frontline skills to contribute but there were things I could do behind the scenes to help, like sending heart notes.  I could provide empathy & compassion through art. My strength was needed for those that were so exhausted to gather enough for themselves.  I just wanted to help in any way possible!

And then, something magical happened! About four months into the shutdown I was commissioned to create two paintings…then sold two of my previous works.  Oh gratitude! One of my clients shared with me that my art made she and her husband incredibly happy, especially during this difficult time….it brought a “beautiful light into their home”.  It was at that moment I realized that with everyone closer to home, the desire for humans to create a cozy and safe home space meant more than simply wanting to complete a project… it went deeper than that. I began to see that this time of pain and confusion had gathered up strength and been used to refresh our  appreciation, gratitude, and joy that maybe we had lost touch of in our busy lives!

I have learned a lot over this past year, some silly things (a little humor is good to keep the sanity) and some more serious things. I have learned I can fit into youth size sneakers which are less expensive than adult sneakers. I have learned that mask wearing doesn’t stop me from applying my favorite lip color because, you just never know. I have learned that if I ever should become stranded on a deserted island I now have the skills and most likely could survive, without toilet paper. And on the more serious side, I have learned an even deeper love and appreciation for my freedoms and for human connection.  And, I have absolutely confirmed that within us all there is an incredible strength, we just have to tap into it, allow it to shine and flow, even when life gets really tough!  Find your strong dear friends and bloom with grace wherever you find yourself planted!

♥️Jana

“Wherever life plants you, bloom with grace”.  ~ French Proverb