If you've read my blog for a while, you'll know that I love pickleball. Lately though, I've found myself feeling a little discouraged. I haven't progressed as quickly as some of the people who started playing at the same time I did. I tend to make up for my lack of skill with enthusiasm, determination and a lot of running around the court. Then I remind myself of something important. I started playing pickleball at 59 after spending my adult life never playing a sport.

Friendships are important to me, especially the friendships I have with the women I choose to be close with. There is something deeply grounding about these relationships. I believe friends are the family members we choose to walk through life with. Some friendships last a lifetime. Other friends come into your life for a reason or a season. I have come to appreciate both. Each one brings something new. Each one teaches something. Each one leaves a mark. My definition of frie