I started playing padel a few months ago. I am not good at it - yet.
I think about it a lot and watch youtube clips — the strokes, the footwork, the wall angles I haven't figured out yet. And somewhere in the middle of my third lesson, a thought crept in that I suspect I'm not alone in having: am I too old to be starting something from scratch?
Here's what I've noticed. Nobody on that court cares how old I am. Everyone is figuring it out at the same time. I am getting better, slowly. And I've made friends — not acquaintances, actual friends — the kind that text you and ask you to meet them for happy hour. Turns out you can do that at any age. You just have to show up somewhere uncomfortable and stay.
I'm staying.
TODAY’S PICKS
THE FEATURE
Your Brain On Beginner Level.
The science behind why doing something hard is one of the best things you can do for your brain right now. The detail that got me: sleep is when your brain locks in what you practiced. The nap after the lesson counts.
THE REFLECTION
Not Knowing What You're Doing Is the Point.
I needed this one. It turns out the naivety of being a beginner — the not knowing, the figuring it out — is actually the thing that keeps you sharp. And apparently, happier. Worth a read.
When Your Kids Text You Like You're Google
I am the family help desk. My guess is you are too. I have a folder on my phone — yes, an actual folder — of texts from my kids. This reel collected the best ones from parents everywhere. You will recognize every single one of these.
THE WILDCARD
The Night Britain Went to Bed and Lost 11 Days.
On September 2nd, 1752, six and a half million people went to sleep and woke up on September 14th. No one was born, died, or married in between. The story of why is stranger than it sounds.
My answer:
I knocked padel off my list. Next up: putting my name on the board for pool at the bar.
