Trying Something New at 36

I’m sitting just outside my five-year old’s wrestling practice, and I just got a little emotional.  Well, actually a lot of emotions are running through me as I try to capture these thoughts. My wife and I have encouraged him (our oldest son, 5 year’s old) to try out a variety of different sports.  We have played t-ball, a little run of gymnastics, indoor soccer, swimming, and now wrestling.  
 
Parents are not allowed to sit inside the gym and watch practice. Tonight he asked me to stay.  I told him I would love to watch him practice wrestling.  There are a couple of families here with me, sitting outside in the hallway.  We can hear the young wrestlers (K-6th grade) talk, engage in some laughter, and transition from drill to drill as they warm-up for tonight’s activities.  
 
I’m not sure what the flood of emotions is right now.  Maybe it is because I’m watching him through a small window in the door.  He caught me watching once, stopped mid run, and blew me a kiss.  I’m getting teary eyed just writing this down.
 
He hasn’t been afraid to try anything new.  We ask him if he is interested, and more often than not he says yes.  He wasn’t interested in trying Lacrosse.  He isn’t interested in Football.  Basketball, well not quite.

This past weekend my wife and I took our two oldest boys ice skating.  It was my first time being on skates.  And to be perfectly honest, I was terrified. The assistance apparatus they have is built for young kids, not adults.  My kids took to it well.  My wife knows how to skate.  I, on the other hand, held onto the side glass for dear life.  I made it around the rink a couple of times.  I got the biggest right tricep pump of my life.  I could not have held onto that little lip around the glass any harder than I did.  I also got the biggest cramp in my left hamstring (probably from trying to brace myself and stabilize).  Like I said, I was scared to death.  
 
My kids fell a couple of times.  They got right back up and continued on their way.  I couldn’t keep up with either of them.  Even the three-year old was moving faster than I was. I’m 6’1”.  It’s a long way down if I fall.  Not as much of a distance for my little guys.  I was so scared, in fact, that I registered for ice skating lessons with my two boys.  They said they wanted to learn and try it.  My wife is already a pretty proficient at skating.  So, at 36 years old, I’m signed up for ice skating lessons. Similar to my kids, I’m registered in the most novice section they had.  I’ll be skating with a group of three to six-year old children.  Not just because I’ll be learning with my children along the way, but because, much like them, I have absolutely zero experience ice-skating.
 
They say that age is merely but a number.  My number isn’t that big.  I’m going to turn 37 in February.  This is the first time I’ve signed up for something new at this stage of my life. I’m excited to learn something new. I’m especially excited to learn something new with my two oldest boys.
 
As always, thanks for reading ~ Charles
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