Bounce is a word that exudes happiness

Bounce. The word, to me, exudes happiness. It’s a fun word.

When I was a kid, I had something called a Super Ball. It was a dark, gray ball and no bigger than maybe 3 or 4 inches in diameter. I have no idea what it was made of, but I can remember going into the quiet street in front of my house and bouncing it as hard as I could.

That ball would sail several stories into the air! I would happily chase it and repeat the process. That bounce brought lots of laughter.

A few years later, I became a basketball fanatic. My dad made me a wonderful scaled down court and I would bounce that ball for hours. This bounce not only brought joy, but it had a purpose. Bouncing that ball made me a better player. I was certainly not the tallest player on my eighth-grade team, but I was one of the best ballhandlers! Yes indeed, we went on to win the intramural championship that year! We had bounce!

Then a new love entered my world — tennis. Once again, there was bounce in my life. This time, I added balance. We had to bounce that tennis ball on the racket head repeatedly to hone our coordination. To this day, when I play tennis, I do that just for fun! And I smile. Bouncing has that effect!

But bounce is so much more than just child’s play. It can be a way of life. It is said that when people are happy, they have a bounce in their step.

Someone who is beaten down by the stresses of the day may shuffle along with a somber gait.

However, those who refuse to let life get them down have a much bouncier demeanor when they walk. Have you ever noticed that in yourself? If you walk with a little bounce in your step, your mood will improve. Some days, I even add a little skipping down the long hallways where I work, and it nearly always brings a smile to my face.

As a Disney girl, I have always had a soft spot in my heart for Tigger. Yes, I know Tigger is a fictional character, but sometimes we can learn a lot from them. Tigger is boisterous, happy and exuberant. And

Tiggers bounce. Maybe that is the secret to their happiness.

Now, as an adult, bounce has another meaning. It can imply resilience. Perseverance. Determination to overcome. To say that someone bounced back from a difficult situation or illness means that they didn’t let it defeat them. They not only beat it, but they came back even stronger.

Certainly, the past few years have given us all the opportunity and the need for resiliency. For bounce. We lived through some scary times, and we are not completely out of the woods yet.

Now, I can once again enjoy the simple joyful act of bouncing a ball with my grandkids and watching them laugh with delight. I guess inside, I’m still that little kid who loves to play and to relish in the bounce of life. It’s a mindset. It’s a way of life.

After my mother-in-law passed away last week, her cardiologist called us personally. He wanted us to know that, at almost 99, she was one of his favorite patients. Witty and delightful, he said that if he had to describe her with just one word, it would be this: “Bounce.”

I can think of no greater compliment.