NORTHERN PLANNER

The swimming quest is going quite well. Apart from getting faster and stronger, I’m rediscovering the joy of doing something really well.

Years ago, I got to stay with a girlfriend who was working on a kids’ holiday camp in France. It was free in exchange for food and board.  There was one boy who wanted to do a proper overarm tennis serve, but try as he might it wouldn’t come. It wasn’t until the last day that he hit a pretty good delivery into the ad court and positively beamed with joy.

I’ve seen that look elsewhere. It’s on Ronaldinho at his best, a creative team doing a late one, Federer hitting a sublime passing shot, Mrs Hovells creating her signature lasagne or my nephew whipping me at ‘Backwords’. It’s on countless toddlers faces taking there first steps. When your good at something, there doesn’t have to be a point to it, just the exquisite pleasure of making something great.