In a recent graduation speech at Dartmouth University, Roger Federer, a global tennis star, shared valuable life lessons learned from playing tennis.
On the importance of never getting down on yourself when you miss a point, he instructed, “Negative energy is wasted energy. You want to become a master at overcoming hard moments” (New York Times, June 10, 2025).
The same rule applies to life. Never waste mental energy on resentment, despair, discouragement, harsh criticism, disparaging judgment, or anger. Stay in a spiritually inspired state of Mind that is upbeat, positive, informed by spiritual truth, and in touch with the infinite goodness of God.
Humanly, we all miss “points.” Roger missed 46% of his points while playing his world-famous matches. But he was still a winner.
When you “miss a point,” move on. Keep your eye on spiritual reality which is wholly good.
Keep moving, keep striving, keep going. God will continue to give you the wisdom, insight, and energy you need to prosper. Use it wisely!
Thank you. not too soon this message comes for me as a typist!!!
Thank you, A very inspired comment.
As someone avidi about tennis and loviing Fderer, I can appreciate and love the inspiration of today’s SV. Thank you, Evan, for the love and wisdom you offer us through SV. Have a blessed weeken to all❣️
“Rectifying Mistakes” by Geoffrey J. Barratt. From the June 16, 1973 issue of The Christian Science Sentinel:
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/2k9dz19e5zc?s=copylink
Thank you very much dear “J” for sharing this wonderful article by Geoffrey Barrett!♡
Yes, we can claim our steady God bestowed innocent individuality. We have always been the loved reflection of Spirit, God, Good!♡
Thank you very much indeed, dear Evan for this comforting and healing SpiritView!♡
Thank you, dear Evan, for your insights into using spiritual energy wisely. Your
on-going tennis learning always amazes me, as I really don’t know anything
about tennis, so my limited knowledge in the sport, sees just a ball being
volleyed from one side to the other. Like without putting spiritual knowledge
to use, we just seem to be aimlessly, without in-depth perception – going
through the motions of wasted energy, but with learning and practice with
the skills acquired, we progress in becoming more capable in gaining the
“insight, wisdom and energy we need to prosper”. I do know that “Love” is
a word used in tennis and like in everyday life, Love is a spiritual energy that
is never wasted when we share it and that certainly is using energy wisely.
Love it !!
When I Move On … I focus on
Meekness | Order | Virtue | Endeavor | Originality | Newness
Very very helpful and valuable sharing. Thanks so much.
I agree with what Evan says, “Never waste mental energy on resentment, despair, discouragement, harsh criticism, disparaging judgment, or anger.” and, ” When you ‘miss a point,’ move on. Keep your eye on spiritual reality which is wholly good.”
But then I thought about a concept I’ve come across called ‘spiritual bypass,’ I found this definition of it, “a tendency to use spiritual ideas and practices to sidestep or avoid facing unresolved emotional issues, psychological wounds, and unfinished developmental tasks”. It seems to mean that sometimes people use spirituality to move on too quickly from dealing with their emotions or traumas and just jump ahead to take a spiritual stance that ‘all is well’ when they haven’t processed their “human” emotions and so their is no true healing. While I don’t believe this is the case with CS, sometimes I wonder. Any thoughts? Thanks!
Hi Rose, I’ve not heard of the concept of ‘spiritual bypass’, so it was very interesting to look it up and read about it. Thanks for bringing up. I’m interested in hearing thoughts on it too.
Well, I would stick with t he teachings of
Christian Science, and nothing else. As
far as I understand it, God does not cause traumas
and human emotions, and knows nothing about them. God is Love and causes only good for His/Her children, and not anything that can upset them in any way. God, we are assured is the only Cause and Creator, so whatever seems to have caused these miseries are in the realm of illusions, or dreams. however upsetting and real they seem to be. So why would we want to try and deal with them as real, and able to separate us from God’s loving care? I would turn to God as quickly as I could, and let the divine Comforter come to my aid, and endeavour not to let these trials drag me down.
P.S. I have now gone to bed, but the following citation came to min from Science & Health” by
Mary Baker Eddy
When the illusion of sickness or sin tempts you, cling steadfastly to God and His idea. Allow nothing but His likeness to abide in your thought. Let neither fear nor doubt overshadow your clear sense and calm trust, that the recognition of life harmonious — as Life eternally is — can destroy any painful sense of, or belief in, that which Life is not. Let Christian Science, instead of corporeal sense, support your understanding of being, and this understanding will supplant error with Truth, replace mortality with immortality, and silence discord with harmony.
(SH 495:14)
As always, Maggie, your clear perception of what CS calls the Truth, is so
precise and we all benefit from reading it, as we do with all of the uplifting
messages and comments found here. Thank you and all so much!
I have not heard of individuals and “spiritual bypass” and that concept, Rose,
however I have heard of something similar where folks trying to better the
world were dissatisfied with clergy and certain religions “burying their heads
in the sand” (their words) and saying in a more kumbayah deflecting and saying,
“God will take care of it. Don’t worry about anything. Everything will be fine”
regarding more human challenges like our environmental factors, etc, rather
than getting to the root causes and perhaps changes, rather than apathy and
not helping to deal with practical steps to take in helping in healing the situation.
However, if I understand correctly, CS looks at things from a standpoint of
seeing individuals comforted and guided by the “One Mind” and not delving
into the past (“human mind” which can bring us down with human emotions
and other seeming forms of distress). I believe how CStists see things … we
are in the now and to try not to see ourselves as victims of our past experiences
or fears for our future, but to see everyone as dear children, with clean slates,
created by Love rather than from error-oneous limitations that would deter
our accepting the Love that is with us always. In my humble opinion. I know
that sometimes these mortal, more material ways of thinking, can seem more
real than what is really True about our reflections of God, but there is not any
by pass to our being in God’s image. Unless it is a distorted mirror, our reflection
to God can not be bypassed with our selves other than we, as being spiritual.
Hello Maggie and ALL,
Just read “turn to God as quickly as I could, and let the divine Comforter come to my aid, and endeavor not to let these trials drag me down.”
None too soon, do I have the perfect trial to apply this to. Blessings, mounds of gratitude, as well as deep gratitude, for reading what was published earlier in this month. I’m up against a judgement against a family member, who could be devastated by being present in court for a judgement carrying a stiff penalty. God is on the JOB, and prayer is sharing all that the divine Comforter has to heal this situation as well as to avoid to a trial that mets out blame, guilt, and other human beliefs. I pray, and then I give all thanks to GOD for being good, ALWAYS!.