Enjoying Progress in My Own Backyard Part II
Six weeks ago, I encouraged you to enjoy the progress in your own backyard. Today, I will update you on the pickleball courts in “my backyard.” But first a challenge. Do you remember the children’s Highlights Magazine pictures where you had to describe similarities and differences between two pictures?
Well, for the first three people who email me or post in the comments section, two differences in the picture for today’s story and the picture of the courts for the June 6th blog, I am offering a free e-book copy of Finding Joy in the West as soon as it is available. So, if you are interested in receiving an e-book copy of my not-yet-released book, compare the pickleball courts and tell me two differences in the pictures.
For the past six weeks, I have ridden my bike to the Calhoun Recreation Center to check the progress on the new pickleball courts. Each time I looked for changes. Lights one day. Nets and windscreens another. Two weeks ago, I spoke with Bryan from the maintenance department as he watered the newly planted trees. He mentioned specifics that required completion before the courts could undergo a final inspection and then be opened to the public. For example, Bryan pointed out that the square cut-outs around the light posts still needed backfilling, which posed a potential safety hazard.
Then, on a recent evening drive through the park, I noticed the parking lot by the courts was full. Upon learning the courts were indeed finished and open for play, my friend Lynna and I scheduled a day to play pickleball.
At 1:00 on a July weekday afternoon in the Georgia heat, we were happy to have the courts to ourselves.
Lynna brought cooling towels which made the heat totally bearable. I brought the paddles and balls recently gifted to me by my brother-in-law. We both admitted to being new to the sport. Apparently, having played for an hour in the Florida Keys this spring made me the expert between the two of us. It took me all of 30 seconds to impart my vast pickleball knowledge, and I expertly (or should I say naively?) served the first ball to Lynna with a bounce and an underhand hit to the opposite court.
For an hour, we played and talked. We felt comforted by the fact that no one who knew anything about the sport was around to laugh or criticize. We commented on how much easier the game seemed in comparison to tennis. The ball bounced slowly, which gave us more time for our aging legs to get to it. After an hour of trying our best to hit the ball so our friend could easily return it, we played a “real game.”
Neither of us has even seen a pickleball game! You pickleball players out there would have gotten a good laugh. We were two eight-year-olds on the playground making up the rules.
“How many points should we play to?”
“Let’s say we have to hit the ball for the serve without letting it bounce.”
“We gotta stay out of the kitchen up here by the net, right?”
“So, should we take turns serving, or should I serve for the whole game?”
We had no idea what we were doing. Or did we? What we were doing was enjoying the progress in our own backyard. Lynna and I were out there having fun. My hope is that we will learn the rules and subsequently become better players. However, I also hope Lynna and I will never forget the joy of playing for our first time on the fancy new courts in our own backyard. And of course, I encourage you to continue looking for joy in your own backyard, too.
