I recently started taking figure skating lessons, and by recently, I mean in September.
And yes, I am (was) 20 years old.
Lesson number one: you can do anything at any age. There is no rule that you have to start when you are five years old
To say that I love skating is a drastic understatement. Like many kids, I had fleeting Olympic dreams sometime around age 10. I dreamed of my parents driving me an hour to the closest rink for my lessons, listening to a Britt Nicole song to pump myself up.
And the dreams fell away as I realized how unrealistic they were.
But not for long. At the age of 20, I embarked on a journey into the world of figure skating, and I have no regrets to this point.
I could go on about my love for skating and why I began in the first place, but that's another story for another time.
I'm here to tell you about my latest skating adventure: participating in "The Greatest Show On Ice."
For over a month the entire cast of skaters rehearsed under the direction of the amazing Mireille. From itty-bitties to our more mature and seasoned cast members, there was a wide array of talent and ability to be fine-tuned for our three performances...ahem, six. That's right, six. Three dress/tech rehearsals, plus three shows, all in a row.
And I loved, I repeat, LOVED, every second of it.
Watching the older skaters inspired me stretched my own abilities. Hanging out with the littles reminded me that children can be doing something so precious one second, and turn into little Tasmanian Devils the next.
Lesson number two: I won't be having a child anytime soon
We were all outfitted in adorable and extremely "extra" costumes for our numbers, costumes that were definitely made with small children in mind rather than grown adults. But it's cool! We all looked cute.
We had quite a few falls, as happens on the ice, and each one was recovered with equal parts creativity and grace. Even the big kids fell. Even our professional guest star.
Lesson number three: falling is not the end
Very few of my thoughts about the show are organized in any presentable way, but what I do know is that I left practices and shows thinking, "Oh my. I can't believe this is my life. I love my life."
And that is exactly how I feel.
I love my little sister skaters. I love the older (yet still younger than me) skaters. I love my blades on the ice. I love crazy costumes and tights that are totally not the right color for my skin.
Lesson number four: love appears in the most unexpected places
Love is at the rink. Love and respect for all of the skaters, regardless of age or ability. Love for the world of skating, and love for the balance of challenge and flow.
I love skating. I loved the show. It was truly one of the greatest times of my life.
And that's all I have to say about that.
