eternallyforsaken

I went to the skating rink for the first time in the 19 years of my life. My friend ice skates and has taught a couple of people how to ice skate before, so she went with me.

She made me practice walking around on the skates first and it was surprisingly simple. I really thought I was going to simply fall over since the blade was so thin! So, I was surprised.

Once I got on the ice though, I panicked. It was so slippery, I clung onto the side walls with my life. My friend was patient and taught me slowly, step by step.

First, try to walk on ice. That took about half an hour because I couldn’t do it correctly. I don’t know how to rollerskate, rollerblade, or ride a bike, so I’ve never had to try to find my balance before. That was the hardest part.

I was really nervous and became even more so when I saw all these little kids skating like pros. The first time I fell, I couldn’t get up because I didn’t know how, I just kept falling back down. Then, a girl who was probably 8 years old, stopped in front of me and taught me the proper way to get up. It was pretty humiliating, but I was laughing at myself. I wasn’t too self-conscious as I usually am with things. I was just out having fun and trying to learn something new. It didn’t hurt though, like I thought it would so I slowly became more confident.

The second time I fell, I fell really hard and I hit my head against the ice. I now sport a battle wound: a goose egg on the back of my head. That really, really hurt. I was really paranoid about falling afterwards and I was really careful.

After I started walking on ice correctly, I started pushing myself forward a little to glide since that was the next step. I was really afraid of letting go of the side walls though.

An hour passed and we took a short break. When we got back on the ice, I was courageous enough to go towards the center and practice what I knew without holding on to anything. I didn’t fall once. I was doing better and better. I found my balance better too. I felt like I was a penguin, waddling around on ice. Before, I was flopping like a fish trying to find my balance but by that point, I found it a lot more simple to just steady myself quickly by leaning forward and raising my arm up a little bit.

That was about as far as I got since I was too hesitant to try doing it a little faster. I definitely intend on going back to keep practicing what I know and to do more until I can really ice skate. I was really envious of the people I saw, who was ice skating for the first time and after a few minutes, have the process of skating down pat.

Still, I’m proud of the accomplishment I’ve made today with ice skating. Now, I just have to wait for this big lump to fade and to rest this sore body. Then, I’ll be back on that ice again.

I read this and I just felt a sudden urge to do this. I feel that if the right person received the appropriate quote and / or poem that I have written on the paper, it will inspire and encourage them. Someone out there is encouraging you to keep going. Putting myself in the receivers place, I would be really touched. So, I will do this. I do not ride public transportation, but I will leave it around the school. I will do this.

The first time a poem of mine got published was in my high school’s literary magazine. To me, that is not enough. I want my poetry to get published for real. Out there in the real world to inspire someone as others poems have inspired me.