How Do You Measure The Power of a Dream?

Ever since I was a young boy, I have dreamed about Wimbledon.  Each summer, my excitement level builds as the tournament known simply as “The Championships” approaches.  Then, at the completion of the two-week fortnight, I have a feeling not unlike that of a young child whose seasonal enchantment is destroyed when the adults pack away all the Christmas decorations for another year.
 
Wimbledon has a special meaning to me because until the day arrives when I can actually attend the tournament in person, it will remain my only significant bucket list vacation.  As I get older, based both on time constraints and financial constraints, every trip that I take is measured with the mental yardstick of whether or not traveling elsewhere will decrease my chances of actually making it across the pond to attend Wimbledon.
 
I want to list out some of the reasons why Wimbledon is so important and meaningful to me.

• History – It is the oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament that began in 1877.  Centre Court, originally built in 1922, has survived a World War II bombing and is the same court that has featured the historic tennis greats.
• Uniqueness – Although the original tennis surface, grass courts are very rare.  Most casual players will never even see a grass court, let alone play on one.  Nevertheless, Wimbledon remains the only Grand Slam tournament played on grass.  It is the only surface that is in impeccable shape at the beginning of the tournament, only to wear down in the later rounds.
• Decorum – All players are required to wear all white clothing, even hats, socks, and shoes.  When the gates are opened, the crowd is slowly escorted onto the grounds in an orderly manner by official Wimbledon Marshalls.
• Tradition – Centre Court is the hallowed ground in all of tennis, and no other tournament has a Royal Box.  They say strawberries and cream and tea time make it special too.
• Formality – The tournament is not divided into the Men’s and Women’s bracket.  It is the Gentlemen’s and Ladies’ bracket.  The players are referred to as Mr., Miss, or Mrs., as appropriate.
• Quirkiness – Gone are the days of post-match interviews by a colorfully outfitted Bud Collins that once prompted Chris Evert to initiate the interview with a sarcastic, “Nice pants, Bud!”  However, they still have no matches scheduled on the middle Sunday of the tournament, and Novak Djokovic will eat grass if he wins the championship.
• Memories – I grew up as a fan of Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe, but technology has changed the game so much that their style of play looks really slow in retrospect.  Without exaggeration, I do believe that the most significant sporting event in my lifetime took place in 2013 when Andy Murray carried the weight of the hopes of all his countrymen on his shoulders to become the first British Wimbledon Gentleman’s champion in 77 years.  This took place on my 49th birthday, and he’s kind of my hero.

 
So why after 37 months did I choose to break my blog silence to record this entry?  The answer is simple.  We are all driven by our dreams.  I have a deep-rooted dream to attend Wimbledon.  As a young boy, Novak Djokovic dreamed of becoming the Wimbledon champion and promised himself that if he did so, he would eat the grass on Centre Court. 
 
In a similar way, high school students across the country are driven by dreams to improve their standing in life through a college education.  There may be a myriad of personal reasons for which they pursue a particular college/university or a particular major, but they are focused and determined in that pursuit.  This is because the dream holds a position of unparalleled importance in their hearts, and they have held on tightly to that dream for years.
 
Make no mistake, someday when I walk up to the iron gates of the All England Lawn Tennis Club and I see the letters AELTC, I suspect that I will drop to my knees and shed some tears.  It may be comparable to the moment of strangely emotional exuberance when students receive a letter of college acceptance from what they consider their dream school – but I’m only trying to check off my bucket list, not improve my standing in life.
 
“In dreams, we enter a world that’s entirely our own.”
     - Albus Dumbledore
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