I started roller skating in January. I realized that I don’t go on long cycling rides enough to keep my body healthy. And the idea of running again felt awful.
Roller skates!
What an epiphany!
I’d barely skated even in middle school. I remember a few outings to the roller rink in the town next door either as part of a sleepover, or once a babysitter took us. I remember my knee being black and blue from falling. And having fun skating around in circles on that rink.
When I was assessing my fitness options, I realized roller skating would be a great fit.
Not rollerblading. I had a pair of those in high school, and they never felt right. I could go forward, but there was something uncomfortable about them.
I’ve been tentative to take the show on the road. Or, rather, sidewalk. There are way more obstacles! Sticks, rocks, dirt. That old saying about “step on a crack, break your mother’s back”? Well, as a newbie skater, I more often end up breaking my own back, when I fall on my ass after going over one.
Flatwoods Park
As I was going around Mirror Lake today, I didn’t fall much. I decided to try to skate all the way home. I did Ok for awhile. I crossed the street without falling. But once I got to the other side there were these hexagon tile things. Very uneven.
I tried to step-step-step over them, as Ms. Indy Jamma Jones instructs. Instead, I fell-fell-fell as I tried to get across them. Multiple times. Once on my knee (no harm, no foul with my knee guards on). Once on my ass. My heiny still hurts. Cars waiting for the light to change surely saw me. A man who was walking by me asked if I was Ok. “Only my pride bruised,” I assured him. He suggested aiming for the bushes and grass when I fell. Not really helpful when the only thing around is concrete.
When I tell people I started roller skating, often the reply is: “I could never do that. I would fall.”
Hell, yeah, you will! And you know what? You get back up again. It’s figuratively true for many things. But for roller skating, it’s the literal truth. You challenge yourself. Sometimes you fall down, but you get back up again.
It’s symbolic of true perfection. The perfection we have in our mind is gliding across the sidewalk; seamlessly flowing backward, forward, one-legged, spinning. Doing all of those awesome tricks the pros do.
Real perfection is being new at something and realizing you aren’t going to be immediately perfect. It involves doing new things because it’s a challenge and it’s fun. You get up again and laugh at yourself, even when you fall on your ass. Even when you realize your safety gear won’t protect you from breaking your thumb (didn’t happen, but it’s a bit strained).
Starting a running habit still sounds terrible to me. For some reason it is incredibly tiring compared to skating. Sure I fall when I’m skating, but those instances will get fewer and farther between as I get better.
Here’s to getting more and more perfect all the time!