Thursday, August 19, 2010

Putting an end to the stopping...

I did two cartwheels today.

It was a strange thing. I was walking along with Lily on our dog walk and Lily was a cartwheeling fiend. She could not stop- she was a blur of limbs and torso and hair again and again.

It was as if she had lost the ability to move in other ways and was left with only the cartwheel to carry her to her destination.

Watching her I realized that I too knew how to cartwheel, though it had been decades since my last cartwheel. The thing about cartwheeling is that you don't know you are doing your last cartwheel until long after you've done it.

I did not one day decide to never cartwheel again.

I just stopped. Or forgot. And then the stopping and forgetting continued.

So today I did a cartwheel and upon surviving, I decided to celebrate my survival by doing another one.

After that it seemed prudent not to push it.

But I can promise you that that I have put an end to the stopping.

7 comments:

Cheryl said...

Well! I never . . .

could do one of these. I could do handstands, headstands, backbends, the whole schlemele. These? Fell every damn time.

I'm so glad you've decided to keep on cartwheelin' through life. It seems kinda fitting when you think about it.

Karen said...

A few weeks ago, the kids were trying to do cartwheels in the yard and I suddenly bragged, "*I* can do a perfect cartwheel!" I didn't realize till it was out of my mouth that I am no longer 14 and should have said "I *used to be able to do* a perfect cartwheel!" Well, there I was, having thrown down the gauntlet ... and I did it! Wheeeee!

Edwige said...

I always feel like doing cartwheels when I am happy... I know, it is strange... Let's cartwheel together next time we see each other! What do you say?

Gumbo Lily said...

Don't stop.

Jody

Pom Pom said...

I think my last cartwheel was sixteen years ago. I'm proud of you.

sarah said...

i love inspiring little moments like these. seems for me, the kids are always showing me how to look at things differently...

Guerrilla Wedding said...

I love me some cartwheels, especially at the beach. And you're so correct - sometimes you just have to remember to have a random dance contest with yourself.