Saturday night I took my nine-year-old daughter to a skating party at Gresham Skate World, the same rink we went to when I was a kid.

I don’t skate often any more. The last time was probably when she was two.  I’ve never been any kind of expert skater, but I’ve always been able to stay on my feet and go around the rink as well as anyone, and enjoy it! So I expected to have fun skating with my daughter.  It wasn’t her first time — she’d been before with friends.

I laced up my skates, pushed myself up carefuly, and stumbled a bit crossing the carpet, which is pretty normal for me. I paused at the edge of the rink, then took off.

And then, OH MY GOD, I CAN’T SKATE!

I floundered back and forth, unsure I could even keep my body off the floor.  I struggled to the wall, and made my way around the rink, hugging the wall.  Every time I tried to strike out on my own, I careened and wobbled.

I don’t have balance issues outside of skating. I ride a bike every day!  I think I’ve just put on so much weight these past few years that I don’t know my own body’s balance any more.

I did not give up, partly because I paid to skate, partly because my daughter was watching, and partly because I was just NOT going to give up.

I rested a bit, and then lurched around again. After a few more laps, I wasn’t hugging the wall so much.  I still had to stop after every lap, though, because I was breathless and my legs ached.

Finally, I found that I wasn’t struggling through every step and glide.  I could actually go around two times in a row, and then three.

Then they started playing hip-hop, which really didn’t work for me. Oh, I like it as music, but I can’t skate to that kind of rhythm.  I need a more rock ‘n roll rhythm to keep me upright.

But yes, I can skate again.

Pin it