Flying with the greatest of ease, on that scary trapeze!
It was an insane way to start off the New Year. Crazy but fun, we hoped, as we schlepped our family to trapeze school for a 2 hour lesson. Naively I thought, is two hours enough? Won’t we want more time to gracefully swing and somersault through the air? Should I book back to back sessions? 2 hours is plenty! Almost too much time. By my last turn (I couldn’t count by that time), I was out of breath, my legs were shaking and I had blisters across the palms of my hands. “Take my turn,” I panted, but no one else in the family was game either.
I am not a religious person but let me tell you there were a lot of prayers offered up as I tried to summit that blasted 10m high rickety ladder. Was it me or did the platform shrink? The instructor said “Jump!” so why am I still on the platform? Hold on, is this guy old enough to be an instructor? Will I be too humiliated if I have to climb back down the ladder (epic fail)? Actually I am too tired to climb down again, so here I goooooooooooo!
Ta-bloody-Da! I did it and survived. Okay, a slight exaggeration (I am prone to those) it wasn’t that bad. Actually, it was exhausting but thrilling and very very fun! It’s very cliched but it was one of those times where I learnt a lot about myself and my family too. I came face to face with the fact that I am old(er). I no longer have working abdominal muscles, my legs shake at the slightest provocation and I am not as graceful as my imagination tells me I am.
On the plus side, however, I am still game to try new things even if the potential to make a fool of myself far outweighs keeping my dignity intact. And, regardless of numerous failed attempts, I kept trying. I can’t tell you what I learned about everyone else (they would kill me) but I can tell you that is was an amazing family bonding experience. There were no screens for anyone to be glued to, no fighting (everyone was too scared) and a camaraderie among us that certainly didn’t exist in the car ride to the trapeze school.
It was a new and difficult experience for us all. But even more so, you are literally and metaphorically exposed. You are completely alone on that platform and all eyes (and critiques) are on you. That personal exposure and possible disappointment created this amazing closeness between everyone. Gone were the snide comments and “button pushing” that all families engage in.
They were replaced by unconditional support. We cheered every move with insane intensity, “You climbed the ladder, HOOOOOOORAY – you little beauty!” We consoled each other when we failed, “Don’t worry, you’ll get it next time. Use chalk on the hands – chalk is the key!” And, at the end of our single session (I would not have survived another), we collapsed on the mat in a pile of hugs at the end. There’s no better feeling, and it lasted all the way home in the car. Okay that’s a lie, it lasted about 5 minutes but it’s a start, right?
Now you know what to say when someone asks you what you want for your birthday – “Massage Trapeze school!” Better yet, visit us at www.GroupTogether.com to set up a group gift collection for your, your kids or a friend’s next birthday. Then call or book online at your local Trapeze school. We used www.sydneytrapezeschool.com for a family adventure none of us will ever forget.
Christmas gifts for the teacher. Is that a thing?
Yes Christmas Gifts for the Teacher is a thing!
Flying round Facebook Mums’ groups at the moment are lots of mums asking for