It's like learning how to do a Kip

A long long time ago I use to be a gymnast. A fairly decent gymnast at that. At the age of 7 I wanted to be on the team. I wanted to do what all the other girls or "older girls" were doing. Mind you that these older girls were a  whopping 11! I advanced fairly fast through basic classes and spent an entire summer working out with "The Team" I thought it was so totally awesome!

There were three things that I had to accomplish before I could officially become a member of The Team. I had to vault a front handspring, I had to be able to tumble multiple back handsprings and do a kip on the bar. I had everything down but the kip. What is a kip? It is the one single move that can get you onto the bars. Its when you jump onto the bar and your feet glide out in front of you and you pull your feet to the bar to there is a moment when you are suspended with your feet and hands next to each other than you push down with your hands and push your feet back so you are vertical to the bar. Maybe you get that....

I spent days, hours, many painful hours with ripped hands and frustration trying to figure out why I could not get myself up on that bar. I can still hear my mom telling me it was time to go. And over and over I would say just one more time mom. But I never gave up. And one day. I got myself up on that bar. I was on The Team as a Class III gymnast at 8 years old. I had my first meet in Merrimack NH. It was a total bust! My all around score was a total of 12 points, seven of those points came from vault. And as all the judges looked at me with those sad sad eyes. I didn't care. I just knew at my next meet I would do better. And I did.

Why is any of this relevant? Because I am on a new adventure. I want what I can't have right now. And I've got a lot of things to learn and figure out. Sometimes fear of failure can paralyze you. Squashing the voices of doom and gloom is sometimes impossible. The self induced pressure to be successful everyday. And the frustration of it just not hitting the mark. That just one more before closing. And having to lock the doors to go home. 

So as I was lying in bed with my head swirling around that was thought that came to mind. I gotta learn how to do the "Kip"  and the rest will fall into place. But giving up won't get you there and mistakes are lessons to learn for the next time. That really is all anyone can do.

Besides, who else is going to feed Fred and Mrs. Q? Nobody but Pop It In The Oven!