Skating lessons

I blame the this post on the hundred laps I skated around the rollerskating rink at Skate World tonight...

Growing up, my vehicle of choice was my bike. I never owned a pair of skates, and the only thing that would induce me to the rink were the birthday parties/class skate-nights--and even then, my friends had to be in attendance.

Fast forward to tonight, when I spent the first twenty laps or so, skating slowly and awkwardly, beginning with practically "walking" on wheels (that didn't work out too well). Even sadder is the fact that the last time I went rollerskating I wasn't ten...I was 19 (almost 3 years ago).

The biggest contributing factor to my "beginner's skating" phase is the cautious nature I adopt every time there are wheels (or blades, for that matter) attached to my shoes.

This cautiousness is ultimately rooted in my extreme fear (and dislike) of falling.

I hate it. I have always hated it.

Probably the worst part about falling is not the actual flying-through-the-air, or even the hitting the ground--it's the getting up that's painful...body sore, confidence crushed, pride humiliated....falling is the one thing I try to avoid on the rink.

*keep in mind that I was an absolute daredevil on the bike and fell practically every day (still never enjoyed it though)....but back to skating....

My dad used to tell me, "falling is fun....if you know how to fall."

This comment always irked me.

Gee, it'd be great to plan my fall...if only they didn't always take me by surprise! How am I supposed to control my fall, if the whole reason I'm falling is that I lost control in the first place?!

But as I was gliding more and more effortlessly around the rink, faster and faster, the hazy fog surrounding that phrase began to lift...

My fear of hitting the hard wooden floor kept me cautious at first--but overly so. I could hardly move, lost my balance every 5 seconds, I wasn't getting anywhere....it took eons just to finish one lap!

The more I began to trust the wheels attached to my feet, the less caution restrained me....I began to forget about falling and instead focused on the direction my skates were taking me in.

around the slow couples holding hands...away from the kids who had wiped out in the middle of my projected path....

...and then it happened....but strangely enough, I almost expected it--I quickly flew back in the air and landed on my behind....the impact even resounded a loud THUMP (or was it BAM?).

immediately, I stood up.

instantly, I was sore...

so sore in fact, that sitting down would have only made it worse....skating was the only solution, the best medicine, in fact.

A few minutes later, I shared about my amusing fall with a friend who confided,

"I like falling, falling's my favorite"

"That's good!" I replied, "I'm sort of the opposite"...

and then I smiled to myself, because I enjoyed the fall I had just taken.

it came because of risk, because I had thrown caution to the wind and not allowed fear to overtake me.

I was suddenly motivated to continue gliding around the rink, emboldened and fearless of the hard floor.