This summer at TLC, we will have instructors from twelve different countries.
And every one of them speaks tennis.
We will have many different world religions and non-religions represented on our staff and in our campers. Muslims, Christians, agnostics, Jews, Hindus, atheists, Buddhists.
And everyone speaks tennis.
We will have different political persuasions.
But everyone speaks tennis.
Different gender identities.
Different races.
Different sexual orientations.
Everyone.
Speaks.
Tennis.
One of our instructors speaks seven languages, another five, multiple instructors speak three or more.
But everyone speaks tennis.
We come together and realize if we explore our differences, it makes us stronger, makes us kinder, makes us more understanding of someone we thought we could dismiss because we never met someone “like them”. Once we get to know them, we examine our own biases, and instead of shunning someone who is different from we are, embrace them for who they are.
How is this possible?
Because everyone speaks tennis.
And it has made every one of us a better person.
*This blog was made possible because Gustavus President Rebecca Bergman said in a recent meeting to me, in describing what TLC does to bring so many people together and celebrate their differences, “That’s because everyone speaks tennis.” Then she said, “You can use that in your next blog.” And I said, “I will.” Thank you, President Bergman.
