THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 9, 1995 TAG: 9504050066
SECTION: REAL LIFE PAGE: K3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY VELEEDER G. FLYTHE
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
``TURN LOOSE. Let go of the wall,'' the instructor said. ``You'll be all right.''
``I can't,'' I replied. ``I'll fall.''
``No, you won't. You won't fall,'' he said.
``Come on, Mom. You can do it,'' said my 14-year-old daughter who was standing free on the ice.
I knew I had to let go of that wall, that I could not hang on forever. Unreasonable fear, the terror of not having control of my body, was keeping my hands clutched to that wall at the ice skating rink.
Still, I had promised Michelle. She had pleaded with me for two years to let her take ice skating lessons. After hoping that she would forget about them, I gave in when she asked for lessons for her birthday present.
She suggested that I take lessons with her. Since she did not know anyone in Virginia Beach, and because I would have to sit and wait for her anyway, I decided to give it a go.
I psyched myself up to believe that it was no big deal. How hard could learning to ice skate be?
VERY HARD.
Yes, I did let go of the wall. Yes, I fell.
``That was good,'' my instructor said. ``You fell perfectly.
I had fallen the correct way. OK.
``Mom, are you OK?'' asked Michelle, looking really worried.
``Yes, Honey, I'm fine,'' I said, trying to sound convincing.
``Now, let me show you how to get up,'' coached my instructor. ``Kneel forward with both hands on the ice.''
Was this man for real? Did he really want me to get up to demonstrate how to fall again?
I knew I could not stay on the ice forever, and I knew I could not embarrass Michelle by crawling over to the wall, so I kneeled forward and put both my hands on the ice.
``Get up on your right knee. Now, put both hands on that knee and push yourself up.''
I pushed myself up and began to wobble. The instructor grabbed my hand to keep me from losing my balance, but I was going down, and I was taking him with me. Quickly, he let go of my hand. After several more wild duck motions, I managed to get control of my legs and stand free.
For the rest of the first lesson, I stayed within two feet of the wall, where I could easily grab hold. By the end of the 30-minute session, I could take several steps away from it without falling.
After seven half-hour lessons, I can now skate slowly from one side of the rink to the other during my lessons, and move very slowly around the rink during general sessions when the music is playing. Ice skating has been good for me. I have discovered ankle and thigh muscles I never knew I had. Michelle and I are experiencing some ``quality time'' together.
I am the only one left in the class now; Michelle has graduated to the next level. I am not discouraged, though. By the end of this summer, I will be gliding gracefully to the strains of ``Beauty and the Beast'' and ``Aladdin.'' MEMO: Veleeder Flythe teaches English at Denbigh High School in Newport News
and is the mother of Michelle, 15, and Michael, 12.
by CNB