As I Wait

The rain began pouring down about two o’ clock this afternoon.  Nearing 8PM, it falls even harder.  I can hear branches sway as the wind howls on this stormy night.  More and more, especially now with a glass of wine in my hand, I’m thinking that tomorrow’s run will be a run, not a race.  For races are not cancelled because of rain.  Weather.com reports 90% chance of thunderstorms in the morning!

And yet I am ready, packed with layers of clothing laid out beneath my shoes. I will run the final race in this winter trail series regardless of rain.  In fact, the hardest part will be driving up that mountain.  I think I’ll need to leave a little early.

As I wait, I reflect a little on the silly things that I’ve been working on.  When I want to find a literary agent, also perhaps a full-time job . . . when I need to organize for taxes, and clean out my office, I contemplate on how TO DO CARTWHEELS AND BACKBENDS! 

I’ve been reading what and how to strengthen in order to conquer these tremendous aspirations of mine.  And some report it’s mainly confidence that allows one to do a cartwheel.  To gain confidence, I can do handstands (with my feet against the wall).  I can also do wheel barrels.  Remember wheel barrels?  A cinch from what I remember.  Well, just the other day, I asked my husband to lift my legs, hold my feet as I attempted to walk across the kitchen. 

He chuckled. 

So, there I was, hubby holding my legs off the floor, all my weight on my arms, and I immediately began yelling, “LET ME DOWN!  LET ME DOWN!”  It felt like all my body weight concentrated in my lower back.

“Walk,” he said. 

“NO.  PLEASE let go.”

“Walk!”

My oldest son stood off to the side laughing.

And so I walked, slow painstaking steps with my hands.  I got about five or six out, until I finally collapsed.  How can I be so strong, yet so weak???

The spectacle was fun laughter for the whole family.  Immediately afterward, my oldest son wheel barreled across the kitchen.  And then my husband did.    I was about to challenge them to a race down the block! 

I walked my hands afterward, by resting my legs on the couch and walking out, then back in.  That wasn’t so difficult now, was it?

The next day, I talked to another elementary school mother (exactly my age, a road runner in fact) and she said she tried a cartwheel recently.  It hurt so bad, she said that she’s never going to do it again.

But she DID a cartwheel.  This week, I just couldn’t stand it.  I told my husband, I’m gonna do it!  He said “No!”  Like that old commercial (if you are in your 40’s you might recall), “Don’t take the car.  You’ll kill yourself!!!”

So, we pulled up to the house, and I ran out of the car to the front lawn and did a cartwheel.  He laughed.  And I did another.  He laughed again.  I’m telling you, the hardest part was getting my legs over, not holding myself up with my hands.  I lacked momentum, because I lacked confidence.  Then finally, I did one that my husband reported looked just like a cartwheel.  It felt like I pulled something in the inner thigh.  (He said later, please don’t do anymore until after this next race.  I haven’t.)

If these lovely ladies can do such graceful cartwheels (not the teenager, the two women toward the end of the video below who are more my age), SO CAN I.  And while I put off all those IMPORTANT things, I will continue working on a dang cartwheel, and then a back bend, until I get it.

Hilarious! I want to do a cartwheel like this : )

And still I wait.  Just about 25 minutes till bedtime