Tap. Tap. Tap. The endless, incessant noise of the ping pong ball pervades my senses. I smack it back across the table with surgical precision, as I have done a hundred times before. The ball whizzes past me towards the intended target - a corner spot of the table surely out of the reaches of my opponent - but suddenly drops in trajectory mere millimeters into...the dreaded net. Sigh. We just got a new table tennis table during the COVID-19 pandemic, and I am determined to master it. “Again.” I soldier on and pick up another plastic white sphere. My mind is razor-sharp and focused on the target before me. Amazingly, I've recently discovered that table tennis is a great way to cleanse the soul of one's problems. I take the racquet and smack the ball again. This time, I don't miss. The ball bounces cleanly off the edge of the table and with a clunk, ricochets off the opposite wall. I'm left to contemplate life just for a split second before my opponent fires another ball at me. Instinct takes over, and my mind gives way to the muscle memory of my body. I am barely conscious of my shots in the heat of the rally now, savoring the satisfying crack of the ball as it bounces back and forth across the table. White noise takes over my brain and I'm free. I'm glad I've found table tennis to be a worthy respite from the world around me. My parents are both in the health care field. They regularly work with COVID positive patients. The constant worry of them bringing the virus into the house is scary. Crack. What a perfect shot. Focus on the ball. For a moment, I've forgotten I'm in the midst of a sports battle. My resolve wavers and my outstretched hand slips from its course, barely missing the ball and sending it flying past me. Determined not to think these bad thoughts any longer, I force myself to bring attention back to the game. 18-16. Ok, not too bad. Two-point deficit. I've come back from way worse before. The rest of the match is simple. 21-18, didn't drop a point and it's game over. “Again,” I say, dropping my racquet onto the ground. However, for this round, my desire for a rematch will not be satiated: my brother shakes his head imperceptibly and heads back into his room, clearly bored. What do I do now? I fiddle with my thumbs for a few more seconds before picking up the red and black racquet again. I grab a ball out of the basket and throw it gracefully upward, timing, calculating, extrapolating. A split second before it hits the ground, my hand shoots out and cuts through the air, curving the ball across the table. I could do this all day, but the unmistakable honk of a car in the garage jolts me to my senses. My mom is home. I rush outside and greet her, mechanically taking her car keys and phone. Then, just like I've done a hundred times before for the past 7 months, I take both items inside and meticulously wipe them down with a disinfectant cloth. Each nook and cranny, each crevice, is a potential hiding spot for the virus. I wash my hands methodically afterward as I ask her about her day. Turns out, she worked with a COVID positive patient earlier. My heart fills with worry. What if she was exposed? What if I'm now exposed? What if- My brain runs off on a track of its own sometimes. But it's important to bring my emotions back in check during these especially tough times. It's the crux of the reason why I focus so much on table tennis. A sport to which, before the pandemic, I paid very little attention. Now I go outside once more, turning on the backyard patio television and switching to the local news channel. The now-usual spiel of crowded hospitals and increasing cases and a rising death toll fills the bright screen. I feel like throwing something at the tv to make it all stop. Wait. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. The virus has brought the world to its knees, but there is still a joy to be found in the little things in life (at the risk of sounding cliche). So go forth and embrace them - whether it be sewing or learning to cook or reading that book that you've always wanted to delve into while sipping hot chocolate in your favorite house chair. Go forth and find respite in new hobbies. Find your passion and follow it with unconditional love in these dark times to make them a little bit brighter. Go forth and find happiness where you'd least expect it. Because dare I say it, but that's exactly what we need right now. Tap. Tap. Tap. The beautiful, musical noise of the ping pong ball pervades my senses and takes me to another world entirely.