I knew Venus Williams had a chronic condition for years. Today I clicked a link that talked of her battle with Sjögren's syndrome so I hit wikipedia and read about it. Autoimmune diseases are something I don't wish on anyone.

I have seen Venus Williams as one of pro sports real class acts from day one. A ground breaker in the light of Althea Gibson, (well before my time), and Arthur Ash (who I grew up watching on the TV my folks bought because of him). Sometimes I wonder why God picks such people to burden with conditions like this. Granted, this condition is not, in general, a killer. Still, it does rob this woman of the gift, that if you believe this God stuff, Gad gave her, her tennis abilities.

But, to vary that theme, I have heard that God doesn't give us more than we can handle. And it does look like she is taking this in stride. More power to her. And may she be an inspiration for many.

And Arthur Ash? He was living his last years with AIDS as I was donating blood and checking all the "no" boxes on the Red Cross questions that had appeared because of that disease. And, a true class act. I never heard him whine, ever. (Ash's AIDS was contracted from one of his many blood transfusions for his lifelong hemophilia.

Ben