This week’s post is something I’ve been looking forward to since starting this project as I get to reference 1974. A lot was going on that year. I would turn 5 years old and was soaking it all in with no care in the world. My favorite TV shows were Speed Racer, Scooby-Doo, The Six Million Dollar Man, and Kung Fu and I looked forward to every Saturday morning. I didn’t realize the significance but I also remember watching President Richard Nixon resign. It was a historic moment in our history. I recall asking my dad why he was forced out of the office and he struggled to find a good answer for a young mind who couldn’t quite grasp what was going on. His answer would be priceless and unfortunately, stick with me for a few years until I learned the truth. He explained that Nixon wanted to have his face on money similar to George Washington on the $1 bill and our government just wasn’t having it. It kind of made sense to my little mind but as I said, I was young and full of questions about everything and this was his way of keeping it simple for an innocent kid.
In tennis, Bjorn Borg would win the first of his six French Open titles while Jimmy Connors was at his peak winning the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. Bjorn looked like a rockstar hitting the scene with his long hair, cool headband, and the methodic way he dismantled his opponents. Connors, on the other hand, was a total ass on the court. That being said, he was one hell of a player who competed on sheer grit and determination rather than natural talent. I wasn’t then, and still to this day, not a big fan of Connors but do admire and respect the challenges he overcame to rise to the top. Both, Borg and Connors, came from humble beginnings with Bjorn growing up hitting thousands of balls against his garage door in Stockholm, Sweden, and Jimmy being coached by his mother on the public courts of Belleville, Illinois. While their upbringing may have been similar, they couldn’t have been more different on the court. I say on the court because later on, we would learn of the raging fire that burned under the icy demeanor of Borg. It is what drove him to be so great but he learned to control it to harness his greatness when he needed it most. Jimmy, on the other hand, wore his emotions on the outside for the entire world to see. He was brash, sometimes rude, and extremely ruthless. Whether I liked them or not, they both contributed to my love of the game.
The best thing about 1974 took place in July at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota when a beautiful little girl named Sarah was born. I was living in Houston, TX at the time and would have to wait 33 years to meet her. Without even realizing what the feeling was, I’m certain I longed for her from day one. I truly believe the universe has a funny way about aligning the stars to ensure two souls meant for one another eventually meet. Leo Tolstoy said, “The two most powerful warriors are patience and time”. These are two things that I struggle with mightily and that warrior has tested me numerous times throughout my life. However, our paths would one day would cross, making the wait worth every minute. Now, forty-five years later we will soon be celebrating our 12th wedding anniversary. More to come on that in next weeks post.
I feel very fortunate to have met Sarah as she has brought so much love into my life. As Maya Angelou said, “In all the world, there is no heart for me like yours. In all the world, there is no love for you like mine”. I still struggle with patience and my time grows less and less by the day. However, I cherish every moment we have and will continue to do so until my last.
6 of 50 - 1974