Welcome to Kid’s Corner with me, Angelique! Need a break? Then head outside for an adventure and try something new this week!
The weather has been stormy and rainy, which I do love and gives me a reason to stay in and cuddle up with a good book. Now the days are getting warmer and I am itching to get out and play. More so when I see the kids next door ride by on their bikes and scooters, yelling out their excitement in being free of schoolwork and chores.
It has been a few years, but with the sun out, I decided to be brave and see if I still remembered how to roller skate. Several years ago, I heard about roller derby and I was intrigued. I started learning how and from the very beginning it was like the first time you learn to ride a bike; falling down a lot, getting back up, falling! I felt so free when I would do laps on the track as fast as I could! There was fear and accomplishment when I had to weave in and out of my teammates in the grapevine, clumsy when I tried to skate backwards (still am!). There was joy at the encouragement and picking up new skills. What I came to understand was that it was 50% mental and 50% physical motivation to keep coming back. I kept coming back for about a year, then life pulled me in other directions. I always missed it, both the people (who are amazingly strong athletic women) and the exhilaration of trying something new, something outside my comfort zone.
Today when I put on all my gear, helmet, wrist guards, knee pads, elbow pads and skates, I could feel my heart thumping in anticipation and nervousness. Alongside the wobbly feeling was also the familiar feeling of happiness of “I’m doing it!”. As a kid, learning and mastering to ride a bike gave me a sense of independence and freedom to be out on my own. As an adult when I ride my bike, it is a way to see the world from a different perspective, to explore and appreciate nature in a new way, going further out on the trails, spending the day out meandering about. So, wipe away the winter cobwebs, grab your helmet and get ready to roll out on your favorite wheels to explore…be it your roller skates, skateboard, bicycle, scooter, or any wheels you can find!!
Here’s to being brave in trying something new, relearning old tricks and to feeling the wind on our faces as we roll into new adventures. Share your pictures of wheeling around your neighborhood or tell us if you’re learning something new with Lafayette Public Library on Instagram by tagging us at @laflibraryco!
Thanks for playing, and see you next time!
– Angelique