MEDVED MISSIVE Making Connections on Mercer Island BY DIANE MEDVED, PH.D. America, declared our Surgeon General Vivek Murthy in a spring, 2023 report titled “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation,” has a general problem with loneliness, and its impact isn’t good. But increased awareness of our social needs reminds of the many ways Mercer Islanders are happily connecting. Take Pickleball. During a recent winter break, my husband and I made a quick getaway to the sunshine, basically to swat my seasonal affective slump. We felt so privileged and grateful to see some blue sky and lie on a beach for a few days, even working around his job hosting a radio show. One of the women at a Zumba class I took invited us to join her weekly Pickleball group, 4:30 pm at the public park. “Do you play Pickleball?” she asked. “Not yet,” was my reply. I’d wanted to learn for awhile, after reading it’s the fastest-growing sport in the country for the fifth year in a row, with towns sub-dividing many tennis courts to accommodate its phenomenal popularity. Good idea, as four regulation Pickleball courts of 60 by 120 feet can fit in the space of a single tennis court. Luther Burbank Park offers three outdoor Pickleball-striped courts, and is currently in the permitting process to renovate the courts, having poured asphalt while considering other changes. According to a Mercer Island “Let’s Talk” posting, local legions of Pickleballers should have the new and improved courts completed by next summer. When I arrived at my sunny-escape Pickleball gathering, the friendly crowd included a variety of “drop-in” regulars, ranging from teens through octogenarians. Most brought folding camp chairs, lined up by the side of the court, for those watching during rotations. I was delighted when old and young approached to introduce themselves, and I even accepted an invitation to try a few rallies before play began. Pickleball is more like ping pong than tennis; the pace and many shots are similar. The ball has holes but is heavier than a wiffleball; the paddle small enough that it’s easy to control. 32 April 2024 The social opportunities are a large part of the appeal, and while players ranged in skill and competitiveness, everyone received encouragement and acceptance. The Surgeon General’s report became famous for equating social isolation to the health consequences of smoking fifteen cigarettes a day. He quoted research showing that without (enough) social connection, we suffer biologically (affecting stress hormones, inflammation and gene expression), psychologically (affecting meaning/ purpose, stress, safety, resilience and hopefulness), and behaviorally (affecting physical activity, nutrition, sleep, smoking and treatment). Dr Murthy offers many YouTube videos suggesting ways viewers can solve that problem, including topics such as the role of spirituality in resolving loneliness, meditation, and even “how to build the confidence to connect” for the painfully shy. You don’t have to be sports-minded to share an interest. The Pacific Northwest Magazine of the Seattle Times even started a column by Christy Karras called “Gather,” showcasing the many ways locals fight the Seattle Freeze.
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