The next bounce

"Every bounce is an invitation,
not to return to where you were,
but to discover where you could go next."

— Mathilde Barbier

Are you ready?

Let’s start with a riddle:

I have a court, but I am not tennis.
I have a paddle, but I am not rowing.
I have a kitchen, but nobody is eating.
I am faster than you think and bring strangers together.
What am I?

Pickleball.

I discovered pickleball a few months ago and wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Small-ish court, 2 people either side, light paddle, a plastic ball with holes, a peculiar scoring system and a very welcoming group of people. Within minutes I was completely absorbed, tracking the ball's erratic little bounce as it skimmed off the court and dashed in some unexpected direction in a flash.

Pickleball, it turns out, is a rather good metaphor for life.

Situations inevitably happen, sometimes out of nowhere. A relationship shifts. A curved ball. A door closes. A news that lands brightening our day, while another leaves us wondering what to do next. We rarely control the bounce, only our response to it.

It is easy to wish we could bounce back and return to how “things were before”. Yet some experiences don't allow that. Instead, they invite us to bounce forward, carrying what we have learned into what comes next.

Menopause is one of life's most significant (and largely unexpected) bounces. It arrives (often with confusing warning) and changes the game of life significantly. Wobbly sleep and mood. Shape and relationship shifts. Energy shifts. The body you thought you knew starts playing by different rules.

And yet, so many women describe coming out on the other side with a clarity and confidence they had not quite anticipated. A stronger sense of who they are and what they will no longer tolerate. A definite bounce forward, not back.

. . . . .

My invitation to you this month is to ...

Sit with a recent experience in your own life, menopause related or not and ask yourself:

• Did it knock you off balance?

• Did it reveal strengths you did not know you had?

• What are you ready to leave behind and what are you ready to step into?

• Could this all-mighty bounce actually be leading you somewhere better?

. . . . .

One of the reasons I have come to enjoy pickleball is that every rally demands our full attention. There is no time to dwell on the missed shot, the next bounce is already on its way. For an hour or two, my mind is wonderfully uncluttered and focused, my reflexes sharpened.

So, whether you are trying a new sport, tackling a challenge or simply navigating another busy week, notice the next bounce. It may not take you back to where you were but might just take you somewhere even better.

And of course if you would like somewhere to practise this team sport join your local Social Pickleball. At Peacehaven Leisure Centre, it runs every Wednesday and Thursday, 5–7pm and the community is incredibly welcoming and supportive. Come along, pick up a paddle and as the ball does its unpredictable thing, notice what you do next.

Here is a lesson worth taking off the court: we can't always predict where life will bounce, but we can stay ready, adjust our footing, keep playing and dare to be the change you want to see in your organisation, family, community and life!

Image Credit: Photo by Lindsey Flynn from Pexels