My 5-year-old son, took a
few classes of gymnastics this summer. One of the things he learned
there was a handstand (with support). For the next few days, he was
constantly practicing his new skill, most of the time without anybody
to spot him, which didn't make me feel too comfortable, but there is
no stopping him. We settled on a couple of places where there was
more open space and floor was covered with a rug.
One day, with my husband
and I in the room, he started practicing again and I said that I used
to do that in my gym class. Hmm.. that would mean last time I did
that was about 19 years ago.. I should have expected he would ask me
to show it to him. My immediate response was “Well, it's been so
long ago, I don't think I can do that anymore” while picturing
myself falling on my head and hurting my neck or whatever else. My
husband smiled at me and said “Oh, come on, I'll spot you.”
Great.. Why did I say
anything about it? Now if I don't try, my husband will think I
don't trust him, and my son will be disappointed. That's not a
lesson I want to teach my child.
“OK, fine, I'll try it,
but I'm really not sure I can do that anymore.”
So the first time was a
failure. I did not push off hard enough.
I tried again. To my
greatest surprise, I did it! My husband caught my feet just in time
so I would not fall over. For a good few seconds, I was standing on
my hands.
Really? I was able to do
that? I was not too old to do that?
Ok, so I'm 36 and I don't
consider myself old-old. However, doesn't having 2 kids, a husband,
a house, a 9-5 job and all the responsibility that comes with it,
make you kind of old? If it was not for my son's asking me about
doing a handstand, I would never actually consider doing it. But
really, WHY NOT?
And it occurred to me,
that being “old” is a big excuse so many of us use because we are
afraid to try and fail.
What if I was not able to
do the handstand? Well, then I would have known that yeah, my skill
is gone, but at least I tried and now I know. It surly would not
mean that I am old.
Sure, there are still
things I do not try even when my son asks me to.
“Can you burp loud?” -
Maybe, but that's not the behavior I care to endorse.
“Can you lift this
couch?”. So my back is bad (I'm still not old), and the couch is
heavy. .. I know my limitations. If I want to stay active with the
kids, I better stay away from things like that.
So here's what my son
taught me:
“Never use your old age as
an excuse for not trying. Instead, use your years of life
experiences to be smart in what you are trying.”
So make a goal, try something different today - something you might not normally do. Maybe even a handstand***.
