Lessons in Skating

Skating with Rhythm through Life

Back in April I went on a trip back to hometown Utah for a family reunion! 

For some of my relatives, haven't seen me since I just started to walk and go to school, and some like my oldest sister hadn't seen me for 10 years prior since I moved down to Texas. 

It seemed like so much time has passed and so much has happened, all we could think to do is to relish in past fun activities we've done as a family. 

One of those was roller skating! We went to the Classic Fun Center, which brought so many memories! 

I remember as a 6 year old I was too afraid to get on the rink, I would watch my older sisters & brother skate to their heart's delight while I admired their skill. 

This time visiting the rink was different, so much reminiscent memories of family fun.

 I was now ready for some risk-taking! 

I even saw a mother skating with their baby in the stroller on the rink! 

I saw all types of people of many different ages zooming past everyone with style, truly enjoying the culmination of skill they've developed in the art of skating. 

I thought, this time I will surely learn something even if I fall down. Sure enough, as I cruised around the outer edges of the  rink with assistance from a Skater-aid I went faster and faster and my turns and control of my balance improved more and more, until I started to feel exhaustion hit me then I began to slow down and lose the rhythm of my feet movement. At that moment that I stopped moving my feet & lifting my knees to maintain balance is when I fell.

From just that night of skating alone it taught me some things that are reminiscent about life. If you never take the chance to learn something, you will never know. 

At the beginning learning to skate, even with a Skater-aid, you are bound to fall one time or another. 

In life even those with the "best" track records have had their set backs & obstacles along the way. 

I learned to "fall on purpose". Let me explain, when I knew I was about to fall, instead of crashing uncontrollably without knowing how it could hurt me, I actually would throw myself down with my leg and side of my arm to the side of the rink with carpet so I don't hurt myself and my body naturally cushion my fall.

Same thing in life, it's important to take calculated risks and have a plan how to "fall with style" or know what you will do to mitigate the inherent consequences of risk.

Something really interesting I noticed was the emotional self - control & concentration needed to successfully keep rhythm while skating. I needed to maintain my breathing as you would do while doing any type of exercise. When I lost concentration is what also caused me to stop focus on my balance and feet movement, therefore causing me to fall as well.

At one point I thought this, 🤔💭

" If I just keep lifting my feet, controlling my turns and body balance then I will continue to roll smoothly in the rink.... I will eventually control my speed and catch my breathe - allowing me to continue skating for longer periods." 

It's the same thing in life! Don't let your mind distract you from what is happening in the here, and now. The present is the pretense before the future, if we can focus on what we are doing NOW that will be the highest indicator of what will be our future.

Happy Skating 😉🛼

Assumptions : a lesson to learn

It is amazing how in the smallest most mundane encounters so much can be learned.

About this same time last year, I was at work that day as a cashier in the morning. We were holding an annual fundraiser for a charitable organization for kids with cancer, with options to donate $1 or $5 towards the children's treatments. 

I would ask the customer if they are interested in donating which felt so strange because it felt like begging or the same feeling I've had doing door-to-door sales. 

It felt to me like I was going to get 95% no and only about 5% yes... however surprisingly beginning at 7am shortly after the first customer, I had began receiving a lot of customers interested in donating. 

So much so, I sort of got tired of even bothering asking some customers. 

I got away with taking some rest until I served a hispanic lady buying her groceries asked her and she donated, then the next customers were middle aged men buying beer. 

I had not asked them during the entire transaction if they would've liked to donate, so one of them spoke up to me and said "Hey, aren't you going to ask us if we would like to donate? We would like to donate too."

That was a moment of breakthrough for me right there. I realized how narrow minded I had been to think they would care less just because they were buying beer. 

I had realized the essence of the saying "don't judge a book by it's cover." 

Now when given the opportunity to share an opportunity with others, I keep this teaching in mind not to limit who may also wish to benefit or give, or who I share beneficial information with. 

Of course be reasonable, but not on terms set by pure assumptions.

Tying a Bow

Tying a Bow 

~ lessons to learn

The other day I was met again with my lifetime struggle of learning to tie a bow in just the right way, 

with just the right motions, just the right amount of gentle yet assertive tug to complete the bow's strength & overall appeal... 

and something came to me,  the discipline necessary to tie this simple bow... 

reminds me of the discipline necessary in life to accomplish each day to day, or the saying "easier said than done."

The positive news is that over time and with experience we learn techniques to better manage something that yesterday was new.