So, I found myself pondering this the other day: Is Steffi Graf still with us? It just popped into my head, maybe I saw an old tennis clip, I don’t quite recall the trigger. You know how these thoughts just ambush you sometimes. And my immediate instinct wasn’t to grab my phone. Nope, that’s not how I roll with these things, not initially anyway.
My Way of Figuring Things Out
See, I have this little system, a personal checklist, especially for folks who’ve stepped out of the limelight. Call it old-fashioned, but I find it more satisfying. My first checkpoint is always the “no bad news is good news” principle. With someone of her stature, any serious news, especially bad news, would be everywhere. Silence on that front is usually a very positive sign. I’ve found this to be surprisingly reliable over the years.
Then, I actively try to remember. Did I see her in a recent photo? An interview? Mentioned in connection with her husband, Andre Agassi? Their foundation work often gets some press. I had a faint memory, something about a charity auction or an event they attended. It wasn’t crystal clear, mind you, more like a fuzzy image at the back of my mind. But it was there. This is part of my “practice” – trying to connect those faint dots from passive consumption of media.
I even considered digging through my stack of old sports yearbooks. I keep them, much to my wife’s amusement. Thought maybe a “where are they now” update might be tucked away. Didn’t actually do it this time, but it was on my mental list of ‘how I’d check if I were really stuck’. It’s like a little game I play with myself.
The thing is, with Steffi, her retiring from the public eye quite a bit after her career makes it different. You don’t expect to see her commentating every Grand Slam. So, her lower profile is, in itself, not a cause for alarm. It’s consistent with her personality.
So, my “investigation” went something like this:
- Absence of any major negative announcements. That’s usually the big tell.
- Recollection of some relatively recent, positive public appearances, however vague.
- Understanding her post-retirement lifestyle choices.
Putting all that together, I came to my conclusion. She’s out there, living her life. It’s almost like a quiet confirmation, pieced together rather than instantly served up. For me, that’s the satisfying part of these little mental puzzles. It’s not about being a Luddite; it’s about enjoying the process of deduction, I guess.
And yeah, just to be absolutely sure after my little mental gymnastics, I did eventually do a quick check the modern way. Confirmed what my gut and memory were telling me. But the journey there was more interesting, wasn’t it? Makes you feel like you’re still using the old grey matter.
