Well…that was a hectic 4 weeks! I have missed this! Just writing for fun and not because I have some deadline(s) looming! That kind of writing is also fun in its own strange way – you know you’re going to have to write about something and as you sit in front of the computer – you have no idea from where the words are going to come. Suddenly an image or even a single word is sometimes enough to get you started. Regardless – sitting here with about 10 minutes to spare before leaving for a book signing -, my nails drying and my hair in hot rollers – I am smiling to myself and happy to sit and jot down a few thoughts.
For those of you who are skating fans – I am back on track to take all of the interviews that I have done and am going to write them up starting later today. So please come back and get caught up as I get caught up.
For those of you who like stories about life – this is where I am starting today.
I love my job as a coach and in particular as a coach of young children and I am going to offer two examples why:
Aidan is a very active 6 year old boy who has a very hard time staying still. He has been learning hockey on his own sort of and is a very strong athlete with a very weak attention span. He is a skater in one of my groups and I had him pegged from the moment I met him. He is one of those little boys who only ever hears about how naughty he is which of course makes him even more naughty. The way around a little guy like this is to make him feel like he is important and accepted – and then he is putty in your hands. As he was skating around me and away from me endlessly in our first lesson with a face that said “why would I bother listening – you’re just going to tell me I am naughty” – I got inspired. I lowered my voice and in front of the other kids I said: “Aidan – can you come here please?” He skated over to me: already defeated. “You are such a great skater. Do you think you could please show the other kids how you can glide on one foot?” His beaming face told me I was on to somehing. During our lessons he is now beside me, listening and waiting for his turn to show the other kids something. He is also still at an age where anyone who looks like a “mom” is automatically high up on the attractive scale. Quietly, this past week as he slipped his hand into mine he said: “Hey Pj, maybe one day you could come to my house after skating?” It was my turn to smile.
Bridget, who is also 6 and a very serious little girl, is the other skater who made me smile this week. As I was finished with one little girl’s lesson, she mentioned that she was going to Viet Nam next week and wouldn’t be at skating. I was appropriately enthusiastic and as I collected Bridget I mentioned that her little friend was going to be in Viet Nam next week. Bridget said “what’s that?” I told her it was a country and we determined that she had heard of China and Japan and it was sort of in that corner of the world. She said thoughtfully: “I had a friend who is from Hong Kong and I thought Hong Kong was in Canada. My friend told me that it took her 24 hours to get to Hong Kong from Toronto and I told her that was CRAZY!!! 24 Hours?!?! Why didn’t her family just take the car and in 3 or 4 hours she would probably be there!!” (Apparently 3 or 4 hours is as far as you need to go to get anywhere)
I am pretty sure these stories don’t happen for lawyers or accountants at their jobs.
As I run to take out the curlers and put on my grown-up clothes, once again I am reminded of how lucky I am. Have a great day everyone!
More to come 🙂 Pj