It has been said that all of our Suffering is due to Self-Cherishing. The more we focus on ourselves, the more harm we inflict upon ourselves. This thinking is supports those who believe that people with money have bigger problems than the rest of us. As sports fans we know about suffering. We hope that this will be the year that our team wins the World Series, the basketball championships, or that this is the year that our team wins the Super Bowl. Being that there are 32 teams in the NFL, most of us are in various degrees of suffering at the end of any given season. The New York Giants opened up their season tonight with a 40-0 loss to their arch-rival Dallas Cowboys. A lot of suffering.
On their first drive, the Giants marched down the field, only to have their drive stall out. Their field goal attempt was blocked and returned for a touchdown. Soon after a ball bounced off of star Saquon Barkley’s hands into the arms of a defender, and retuned for another touchdown. The route was on.
Self-Cherishing is All in Our Mind
The suffering caused by our Self-Cherishing exists in our mind. “How am I going to face my co-workers tomorrow?” “I’m going to be the laughing stock around the water cooler.” “I’m going to call out sick.” And we hold on to these thoughts and obsess over them. “Oh, things will be better next week.” What will change my suffering? If the Giants win next week 40-0 should I be as elated then as I am depressed now? Does that make me labile?
The Woman’s U.S. Open Tennis Championship was decided this weekend. Coco Gauf won her first Grand Slam title in an upset as she defeated Aryna Sabalenka in three sets 2-6 6-3 and 6-2. Not to throw shade on her achievement, as Gauf is a nice player and will win perhaps other Grand Slam titles as well, but that was not the news coming out of Queens. Gauff reminds me of Martina Hingis, a four-time Grand Slam champion.
Hingis had the misfortune of having her career lodged in between Steffi Graff and Serena Williams, the two greatest woman’s tennis champions of all time. Not arguably, just the two greatest. Just as Hingis was constantly upstaged by greater players, so was Gauff upstaged by fellow pro Naomi Osaka and the news that she is ready to return to the game.
The Future of Women’s Tennis
Osaka is a four-time Grand Slam winner, winning her first title in 2018 at the U.S. Open. Since then, she has been living with depression, and has been off the tour since 2021 getting herself healthy. I saw Osaka win the U.S. Open in 2018. In doing so, she scorched and eliminated Serena along the way. In that moment I saw the future of Woman’s tennis, and its name is Naomi Osaka.
To watch Naomi Osaka play tennis again is not my Self-Cherishing reason for being happy that I will see great tennis again. I’m happy that she is well and is taking steps to ensure her continued health. I understand that if I can appreciate someone else, and wish them well, it will reduce by Self-Cherishing and suffering.
At least until the Giants play next week against the Arizona Cardinals.
Barry Schustermann
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