My first major blow of the year

2007, as with most other years, started marvellously for me. I was looking forward to starting a new phase of my life as a graduate student (gasp!) and anticipating many new challenges i would face as I (grudgingly) inch my way through my 20s (GASP!!). You can imagine my emotional high as 2007 approached.

Then came the first blow.

It had to come.

Not that my university withdrew my place.
Not that my parents suddenly decided to withdraw the funds meant for my education.
Not that I didn't get the hostel of my choice.
Not that I put on 3kg (which I did, by the way, but that's for another discussion)

But that... Brace yourselves now...

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE PULLED OUT OF THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN DUE TO "FAMILY REASONS"!!! MEGA GASP!!!!

The unthinkable happened. The current world number one, the player who reached all four grand slam finals last year (shut up those who are scoffing under their breath that she only won one. That is irrelevant), the female player with the sweetest backhand ever, IS NOT PLAYING IN THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN!!!

Sometime in late November last year, I was a mouse-click away from buying tickets to the Australian Open and minutes from a phone call to my travel agent to shift my flight to mid-January so that I could watch the games live. (Watching replays on cable is so last year, hahaha).

Thank God common sense and practical fund management got the better of me and I resisted the urge to make my way to Melbourne like a crazed fan. What's the point of watching the games live if my favourite player isn't playing?

Which brings me to my next point. Why oh why isn't she playing?

Quick research on my part unravelled this: She is having marital problems and may divorce her husband. Aparantly he's having difficulty being second fiddle to the other man in her life- Carlos Rodriguez, her coach.

A tinge of disillusionment crept through me as I read the report online. When I was a little girl there were always these celebrities I'd imagine as having the perfect fairy-tale life. Mariah Carey, Andre Agassi, Princess Diana just to name a few. I'd always imagine them as the ones who had it all, fame, fortune and a happy family life with many happy kids. But Mariah divorced Tommy Mottola, as did Andre from Brooke and Princess Di from Prince Charles.

I guess the celebrities from yesteryear have long been taken off my "idol" list and I've since outgrown the whole happily ever after notion. (At least on this physical world. I still look forward to my happily ever after with God in heaven) But watching Justine play over the seasons reminded me of how I'd always use to look up to random celebrities and attempt to model my life after them. Only to realise that they're far from perfect and suffer as many problems as we mere mortals do.

For the first time in a long time I thought maybe Justine will be the one. The one who'd live a "good" life. Do her thing, be a good wife, give lots of money to the poor, make her marriage work.

But yet again I was proven wrong. Again I'm humbly reminded that the only person I should ever attempt to model my life after is Jesus. That he is the ulimate "good" guy. The only ever truly perfect person to walk on earth. The only person who can bridge the gulf that separates God and I.

I do wish Justine all the best. I sincerely hope she can work her marital problems out. But better yet, that she (and many others who don't already) may come to know God and who Jesus is and the salvation he has to offer.

That way I can always watch her play tennis in heaven, forever. Though, I know for certain, the joy and awe that I'd experience in heaven would far exceed watching my mere worldly idol play tennis.