When missing the point leads back to alignment

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the evolving answer to the question: What are you learning? that I received from a good friend at the start of the year.

A few weeks in, I can say that things have moved forward on the learning padel front. I first had a lesson approximately two years ago and was very lucky to have a 1-1 session with the coach that I received. Last week, I went back and had another 1-1 session with an equally supportive coach. I knew this time I needed to get myself back out on to the court sooner rather than later and played a social session with some of the ladies from my local Toastmasters club - all of us somewhere on the infancy of our padel playing journey.

I was playing well for a debut appearance but for someone that is the least competitive person that I know, I went for a point, that I was never going to win and on so many levels, didn't even matter. That decision resulted in my left knee giving in, ending my game for the evening and now not seeing me back on a padel court for the rest of the month for sure.

A few days later, and I'm actually full of gratitude, because:

• It was my left knee and not my right knee - this and the fact that I have a safe automatic car, I could still get to where I needed to be at the weekend

• Of the kindness of strangers - I was going to a gig that evening and wasn't in great mobility shape - the stewards at Wembley Arena were awesome as were a number of helpful other concert goers

• The kindness of my friends and family - those that gave me a shoulder, waited on me, checked in the days that followed and thought about what would be easy for me to eat for the next few days.

• My diary for the week ahead was designed to be remote, quiet time - and now enforced as so!

• I wouldn't say I've been overdoing things at all, but I am taking this as a sign to pause for a moment and really get into some deep work this week - on the things that have been hanging around and yet to close, the things that need full attention, and for the things that one may only really be able to do when they have the mental, physical and emotional space to do it.

Looks like padel is to pause for the moment, the learning however continues...