Dan Gottlieb was paralyzed thirty years ago in a traumatic car accident.
He is a respected family therapist, author, and radio show host. His most recent book is entitled The Wisdom We’re Born With. In the book, he writes about a chemical in the brain called serotonin. It is the ingredient that helps put the pep in your step, the light in your eyes, and causes you to sing in the shower.
This week, a tennis player came to the lesson court without that usual pep in her step. Jane expressed that she was in a mild funk and preferred not to have much individual instruction.
It was agreed that maybe just being physical and chasing that captivating yellow ball would be enough…..perhaps it would be the key to activate her serotonin and bring the smile back to her face.
It worked. Soon she was making lunging volleys at net and hitting beautiful ground stokes and approach shots.
Mr. Gottlieb says Jane came to the court feeling ‘a quart low on serotonin.’
He says that, ‘like all other humans, when we feel vulnerable or fragile, we need to be held physically or emotionally. Giving Jane the freedom to just run and play and hear encouraging words helped regain that serotonin stability.
Here’s hoping that it lasted the rest of the day and into this weekend.
Let’s face it, all of us are a quart low at times and need a pick me up.
Wise is the one who can acknowledge it and seek the emotional booster shot from loved ones or friends. In a perfect world, we’d all be on the lookout for people who seem to need a lift. Think of how many ways are at your disposal to positively impact your family and friends.
Years ago, Coach Cary and a very young tennis coach were having lunch when we glanced out the window to see Eileen skipping forty yards from her car to the tennis court.
How blessed she is to be in skipping mode so often…..anticipating time where ripping backhands and crushing overheads is about as good as it gets.
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