Winning and losing.

I have made a tentative start on my new work on Taoism. I was so sure when I finished and had managed to be published I would tick that off my bucket list and call it a day. Instead, I have found myself drawn back to the text I have been working and reading it again this time not just as a text but as something to consider further.

Beginning something new seems to overwhelm me until I get back into some kind of routine of thinking during my day. So I have purchased a little notebook and I intend carrying it with me as I walk to note down any thoughts that might help me on my way.

Yesterday strangely I was on the theme of winning and losing. I remembered this little tale that I heard many many years ago. As I thought of it it seemed to fit our present situation in this country in which I live. We are a nation divided almost down the centre between those who wish to remain and those who wish to leave. Sadly politicians are telling us if we do not go with one side there will be a tsunami of disquiet. Winning and losing so seem to affect us.

Pete hated losing at anything. His parents, teachers, and many others said he didn't know how to lose, but the truth of it was that he couldn't stand losing, not even at marbles. It was so great, and he felt so good, when he won, that he never wanted to give up that feeling; not for anything in the world. On top of that, losing made him feel precisely the opposite. 

It seemed to Pete that losing was the worst thing that could happen to anyone. If there was a game Pete wasn't brilliant at, he simply wouldn't play it. But if he was going to win he would take part, even if the game lasted only a minute. And the kind of things he was really good at, like table tennis, you could hardly stop him playing. 

A new lad started at Pete's school, his name was Albert. Albert was a cracking table tennis player, and it didn't take Pete and Albert long before they challenged each other to a game. Pete prepared for the match with great seriousness. He was concentrated and intense. Albert, on the other hand, seemed not to be taking the thing at all seriously. He walked about the whole time, smiling and cracking jokes about all sorts of things. But on the ping pong table, Albert was a real phenomenon. He scored points, again and again, laughing and joking all the time. 

However, Albert was paying so little attention to the match that Pete managed to change the scoreboard while his opponent was looking elsewhere, and so Pete managed to win by cheating. Pete made a big thing of his win, but it seemed not to matter to Albert, saying "It's been fun. We should play again some other time".

On that day, people at school talked about little else. Pete's great victory was on everyone's lips. But, that night, Pete didn't feel so happy. He had won, but even with that, there was no trace of the joyful feeling he usually enjoyed so much. What's more, Albert hadn't felt bad about losing. He almost seemed to enjoy it. And, to top it all, the next day Pete saw Albert playing basketball. He was absolutely hopeless; he lost time after time. But that happy smile never left his face.

For several days Pete watched Albert. He was great at some things, terrible at others but he enjoyed everything equally. Pete began learning that to enjoy a game you didn't have to have a scoreboard; nor did you have to have winning and losing. 

What you had to do was enjoy the game for its own sake, trying to do well, and enjoying each aspect of it.

So have a great day whatever you do and it is not about winning and losing it is about living and caring.