Depth

“We could have had it all rolling in the deep…think of me in the depths of your despair”

Depth is a purposeful action in tennis. It’s a place on the court you’re trying to reach in order to outmaneuver or outwit your opponent. Coaches often say, “lob deep” or “hit deeper shots to the baseline”. Depth, in this case, is positive. Deep drives are well-hidden. They’re meaningful. It takes concentration to master a deep lob when a menacing opponent is swaying their racquet at the net.  In tennis, it’s usually the deep shots that are the most challenging to both place and return.  

Life is abundant with examples of depth, having both positive and negative connotations.

Take a deep breath. How do you feel? Deep breaths allow us to buy time and relax when we’re stressed out or angry. Depth is fulfilling.

Are you in deep trouble? Depth is a challenge. A mistake. A change you endure.

Have you ever seen someone in deep thought? What does that look like? The person is usually centered on something very specific. Nothing else matters to them. That kind of depth is equivalent to concentration. Depth is reflective.

What does it mean to be deeply in love? Certainly, nobody has ever been shallowly in love with someone. Depth has meaning and intensity. It has layers. It develops.

Deep is sometimes an adjective used to describe a color. Deep purple or deep blue. These are profound, rich hues. They are not mild, but severe colors.

Depth has many meanings, depending on the context. There is one commonality: depth is a challenge. It’s more than scratching the surface. You can’t reach depth too easily. People don’t just get themselves in deep trouble overnight or fall deeply in love within minutes (despite what the movies have you believe). Depth is a level you achieve, usually by overcoming, enduring and sacrificing. I remember in high school it took me several months to perfect the deep lob. My paltry pats to midcourt were useful at times, but I watched in wonderment as my opponents would always at least lay a racquet on those lobs. I had a hard time adjusting my stroke to achieve depth. I needed to bend my knees more and angle my racquet instead of keeping the face flat against the ball. It took several weeks of practice and failing during matches. I sacrificed points in order to practice my adjusted lob stroke. When I finally learned to hit deeper, arching lobs, I noticed how few of my opponents could decently return them. I had achieved depth, a purposeful and meaningful action. Depth can be rewarding, especially when it occurs in the context of the tennis court.

Don’t hit too deep, however, or your shot will land out of bounds. Even depth has its limits.

“You had my heart inside your hand and you played it to the beat”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBRUkdQa6Is