Today is Wednesday. Yes, I'm up early. I'm up early every day. This used to be a huge problem for me, one that I tried many, many remedies for. Nothing, including the drug Ambien, will get me more than six hours of sleep collectively. Those hours do include at least one trip to the bathroom followed by a stretch of wakefulness. I no longer consider this to be a problem and accept it as a fact of my life instead of complaining and trying to fix it. I'm productive in the hours before what is considered to be an "acceptable" waking time, getting things done around my home, reading, thinking, planning. It's all done by seven or eight and I'm filled with energy throughout most of the day. It works for me.
What used to be a challenge, sleeping, is no longer. It's been replaced by many others. I love a good challenge or two and seem to seek them more as I grow closer to age seventy. This is not a time of life to sit it out. Nor is it a time of life to make oneself look like a self trying to be something other than that self. Nothing worse than an old fool trying to not look like a fool.
I'm not placing an order for a Mustang any time soon. Nor am I taking up bungee jumping. I have already met some challenges, especially those associated with body-betterment-for-more-enjoyment-and-better-overall health. I'm looking forward to planning an adventure in celebration of my birthday in January, but trust me, it won't consist of any time travel. I'm going to stay the course and act like a lively older woman at all times during the crossing over process. More about that later.
So, what's going on in my world of challenge lately? What's totally scaring me? What's causing stress and making me feel cowardly and not in control? What is it that I swear I will conquer if it does not take me down? What is it that I must perfect before I give it up? You might well ask.
It's BOWLING. Bowl-ing??? I used to do that all the time. Up until the time I didn't do it anymore, like somewhere in my thirties. I even had my own ball and baby blue shoes. Every week I would show up at the alley, toddler girl in tow, and I would join other mommies who also deposited their toddlers in the on-site nursery for two precious hours a week. I did fairly well. The balls were big, the pins were merciful and I rarely threw a gutter-ball. It was relaxing and fun. So....when my friend Judi told me about her current bowling team, naturally I asked to join and did. Of course there were a few things I had not considered.
First of all, the "Flower Shop" league that I was signing on to as a "sub", was huge. At least forty women of all ages show up. Next, they take their game seriously. Scores mean "placement" and every team is revving up to be in that choice First Place spot. There are Zinnias and Daffodils and at least four other flowers represented by this eager group. The median age is seventy. One of the better bowlers it turns out, is ninety!! And then, there is me. I had never, in my entire life, which including lots of bowling as a teenager, thrown a ball in a game of "Candlestick" and that, to my shock and horror is what I had signed up for! Do I have to tell you how scary this was...and still is? Do I need to say how bad a bowler I have become after many years of absence?
There is some saving grace. All those years ago, at the same location, my friend Franny was a team mate. She and her little girl at the time Laura, spent many happy hours with me and my little girl. Great memories. I'm sure they both hours on-end spent together in the play room at the bowling alley, the library and our houses. Well, on Day One of this new adventure, in walked Franny and our friendship took up right where it had left off when I left the Cape years ago. I nearly cried with joy when I was asked to officially join her team due to the resignation of another member. They clearly were desperate to fill that spot! And fill it, they did, with the Queen of the Gutter Balls.
Candlestick pin bowling is very, very different from what I had done in the past. It looks and feels unique and it's very hard to get a score about seventy or eighty in a game. Each week, we play three games. Each time I get up to throw (yes, you literally throw the ball onto the alley, not roll it), there are two groups of women, both opposing teams, sitting on the edge of their seats, hoping that I will knock at least one pin down. Good thing my rear-end is a bit smaller as the result of a different challenge, an easier one as it turns out! All eyes are upon the "new girl". Their disappointment is easy to read but they are encouraging and friendly and having time each week with Fran makes up for the pain. I try to recall, with each stressful turn I take, that they asked me to join as a permanent member.
I'm going to master this. I won't dread Wednesday; I'm going to pull up my all-important average. I'm going to come out of this with my dignity and self-esteem intact. I'm going to meet the challenge head-on. That's what it is all about, this journey of life, isn't it? Meeting obstacles along the way, finding goodness and opportunity in the smallest of things. Savoring the moments. Coming out with dignity and self-esteem that no gutter ball can take away. One pin at a time.
What used to be a challenge, sleeping, is no longer. It's been replaced by many others. I love a good challenge or two and seem to seek them more as I grow closer to age seventy. This is not a time of life to sit it out. Nor is it a time of life to make oneself look like a self trying to be something other than that self. Nothing worse than an old fool trying to not look like a fool.
I'm not placing an order for a Mustang any time soon. Nor am I taking up bungee jumping. I have already met some challenges, especially those associated with body-betterment-for-more-enjoyment-and-better-overall health. I'm looking forward to planning an adventure in celebration of my birthday in January, but trust me, it won't consist of any time travel. I'm going to stay the course and act like a lively older woman at all times during the crossing over process. More about that later.
So, what's going on in my world of challenge lately? What's totally scaring me? What's causing stress and making me feel cowardly and not in control? What is it that I swear I will conquer if it does not take me down? What is it that I must perfect before I give it up? You might well ask.
It's BOWLING. Bowl-ing??? I used to do that all the time. Up until the time I didn't do it anymore, like somewhere in my thirties. I even had my own ball and baby blue shoes. Every week I would show up at the alley, toddler girl in tow, and I would join other mommies who also deposited their toddlers in the on-site nursery for two precious hours a week. I did fairly well. The balls were big, the pins were merciful and I rarely threw a gutter-ball. It was relaxing and fun. So....when my friend Judi told me about her current bowling team, naturally I asked to join and did. Of course there were a few things I had not considered.
First of all, the "Flower Shop" league that I was signing on to as a "sub", was huge. At least forty women of all ages show up. Next, they take their game seriously. Scores mean "placement" and every team is revving up to be in that choice First Place spot. There are Zinnias and Daffodils and at least four other flowers represented by this eager group. The median age is seventy. One of the better bowlers it turns out, is ninety!! And then, there is me. I had never, in my entire life, which including lots of bowling as a teenager, thrown a ball in a game of "Candlestick" and that, to my shock and horror is what I had signed up for! Do I have to tell you how scary this was...and still is? Do I need to say how bad a bowler I have become after many years of absence?
There is some saving grace. All those years ago, at the same location, my friend Franny was a team mate. She and her little girl at the time Laura, spent many happy hours with me and my little girl. Great memories. I'm sure they both hours on-end spent together in the play room at the bowling alley, the library and our houses. Well, on Day One of this new adventure, in walked Franny and our friendship took up right where it had left off when I left the Cape years ago. I nearly cried with joy when I was asked to officially join her team due to the resignation of another member. They clearly were desperate to fill that spot! And fill it, they did, with the Queen of the Gutter Balls.
Candlestick pin bowling is very, very different from what I had done in the past. It looks and feels unique and it's very hard to get a score about seventy or eighty in a game. Each week, we play three games. Each time I get up to throw (yes, you literally throw the ball onto the alley, not roll it), there are two groups of women, both opposing teams, sitting on the edge of their seats, hoping that I will knock at least one pin down. Good thing my rear-end is a bit smaller as the result of a different challenge, an easier one as it turns out! All eyes are upon the "new girl". Their disappointment is easy to read but they are encouraging and friendly and having time each week with Fran makes up for the pain. I try to recall, with each stressful turn I take, that they asked me to join as a permanent member.
I'm going to master this. I won't dread Wednesday; I'm going to pull up my all-important average. I'm going to come out of this with my dignity and self-esteem intact. I'm going to meet the challenge head-on. That's what it is all about, this journey of life, isn't it? Meeting obstacles along the way, finding goodness and opportunity in the smallest of things. Savoring the moments. Coming out with dignity and self-esteem that no gutter ball can take away. One pin at a time.
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