Skating Under The Stars

I’ve never been a graceful person. I underestimate the length of my limbs often, and make rather clumsy movements. Even when playing sports I was put on defense because of my height and lack of coordination. So when asked to do something that makes me feel uncomfortable I knew the perfect situation.

Last week I went to Jasper, Alberta for a wedding. As part of the celebration there was a nightly skate after the rehearsal dinner. Now, I am no skater. I am more like Bambi on ice, so I decided to skip the skate. I didn’t want to injure or embarrass myself in front of so many people. Especially since most of the guys all played hockey in the men’s league. I was kind of disappointed I didn’t get to skate under the stars and by the mountains, but I got over it pretty quickly.

However, it still kind of bugged me until I got back home to Edmonton. My boyfriend plays hockey two to three times a week and makes skating look effortless. He’s been skating for almost 25 years, so when I saw this challenge I asked him to teach me how to skate. We gathered our gear and headed to a near by outdoor rink. It was perfect because the kids hockey game was just ending by the time we got there. Watching eight-year olds skate laps around the rink made me somewhat jealous but also excited. I hadn’t laced up a pair of skate in almost 10 years. The last time I had gone skating was for a friend’s birthday in elementary school.

Once I had my skates on I was ready to hit the ice, except I couldn’t even walk in the skates. It reminded me the first time I had to walk in heels. My legs were wobbly and I felt like my ankles were about to snap. I was grabbing onto anything I could to keep my balance and I wasn’t even on the ice yet. When I finally reached the ice I held onto boyfriend very tightly, as if I were about to fall off the CN Tower. He began by skating backwards and I asked him to slow down, even though all I had to do was stand there. It was terrifying, and I was extremely nervous of hurting myself. At that moment he thought it was going to be disastrous because I couldn’t even handle just standing on the ice while he pulled me.

However I was determined.  I was thankful to have my partner who was an excellent skater by my side to help me. He never let me go and took me on a few laps until I got used to the sensation of the bumpy ice beneath my feet. I was sweating the entire time. He asked if I had brought the hot pads in my gloves and I hadn’t...I was just so scared the heat from my hands was seeping through the material.

He brought me over to the edge of the rink so I could grab onto something other than him for a minute. He wanted to show me how to move my feet and bend my knees in order to maintain my balance. I was very slow and cautious but surely started skating on my own. I felt awkward and unnatural and probably looked worse than it felt. My arms were flailing and my lanky legs we’re not aligning with the rest of my body.

After a few laps I started getting the hang of it. I mean, I was no Olympian but I was starting to look and feel like I was an average skater. I loved the smell of the cool, crisp night and the freedom I felt from skating. Similar to riding a bike with the wind breathing fresh air in your face, you feel alive.

I was so proud of myself for not falling once. Although I wouldn’t have cared if I had fell, it made me feel confident in myself. It was a good reminder to continue to try new things every now and then because things change and you could be surprised by the outcome.