Skating Through Life

I learned a whole lot about myself yesterday in the most unexpected place – the local skating rink! A friend invited us to watch her daughter figure skate in a weekend fun meet. I thought it would be a great way to take some time off and possibly see an up and coming star or two. Little did I know these young girls and teens had so much to teach me.

At first glance the meet was much as I had expected. As each new division warmed up the girls flew across the ice, speeding from one end to the other, skirts and jackets rustling in the breeze. They boldly set about practicing their jumps and spins while getting a feel for the unfamiliar ice. Then as each girl took their turn performing before the judges I watched them skate a bit more tentatively, with a few more trips and falls than I saw during warm ups. All in all it was enjoyable to watch these young ladies perform.

The more questions I asked my friend about the “inside scoop”; on skating – how they prepared, where they nervous, how did they handle judging, and so on – I realized how much of an inspiration these girls are. First and foremost, each and every girl completed her performance despite the nerves, numerous falls, forgotten routines or trips on the ice. With each “mistake” they simply picked themselves up and kept going without complaint.

After a while it dawned on me these girls have tremendous courage to stand alone on a huge sheet of ice and put themselves out there purposefully to be judged. They cannot hide among others nor can they take the day off. The young women are willing to shoulder the responsibility to do their very best each and every meet, whatever the outcome may be. And most of all, there is always something to celebrate.

Possibly this is the true meaning of “skating through life”.