Gregarious

The debate on who is the greatest tennis player of all time appears mooted by the timely retirement of Roger Federer. That is if we gauge who is, by the number of majors. Roger left the sport stuck at 20, one behind Novak Djokovic and two shy of Rafael Nadal. Is it the king of clay then? Not necessarily.

There are several variables that factor, not only consistency and longevity, but also depth of competition and completeness of their game. Federer competed complete. And more. But in truth, only history separates the trivalry. Elsewhere however, experts picked the greatest diver of all time, he who survived the odds and lived an even greater life.

American Greg Louganis swept Olympic diving events twice in a row – in 1984 at Los Angeles and four years later in Seoul. But more than his four Olympic golds and one silver, Greg has a colorful story to tell. He started diving at a tender age of ten. As an adult he did not tell who he was and what he had. That he is gay and HIV-positive.

He kept silent about it. Then the thud heard around the world. Louganis’ head hit the edge of the springboard during the qualifying dive in Seoul, and bled into the pool. But he came back triumphant. The horrified crowd glorified him for winning gold just the same. At the podium, Greg’s mind stayed in the pool where his viral blood oozed and diluted.

He came out at a time when coming out was not easy. But he did the harder part, tell the world about his HIV status and gave the unknown disease a human face. He also had to summon the courage to leave an abusive relationship. For those looking from the outside, ending it is easy to do, but hardest for those in it who unknowingly interchange abuse with love and all its nuances. That is why they stay, hoping one day it becomes easy, only to find it more messy.

He too had to recover from alcohol and drug addiction. Ironic, people with fame and fortune self-destruct, end up in shame and misfortune. Boredom? Or is it because true happiness is not found in things millions die for, even if they spend millions. Still, the best things in life are free. Cliché but true, like the smile of a child, even the grin of the impish. The rabid loyalty of a dog or, the laughter shared with friends, genuine or otherwise. Yes, it is still laughable to share canned laughter with cunning fellows. Sense of humor discerns real from imaginary, but tickles just the same. Or, the love among family until strained by the painful debate on how to divide property or who cares for the elderly.

Now older at 62, someone wrote Louganis defines life not by his legendary career, but by the joy he finds in the smallest of things with no monetary value. Settled and at peace, after he made peace with the past that shredded him to pieces. Define life, not only by the masterpiece of creativity or industry, but more so by the centerpiece of humanity.