The troublesome thing about turning 30 is contending with the compulsion to assess the years gone by. If it was possible to just become 30 without analyzing your life to that point, it would be far less painful. But like a milestone midway through an extended journey, the 30th birthday forces you to stop, turn, and review the miles you have come.
What makes it particularly traumatic is the fact it is the first of such milestones encountered. The 10th birthday is a joyous occasion. One's personage is somehow enhanced by having a double digit age. Ahead are the exciting teen years.
Shedding the burdensome stigma of being a teenager makes the 20th birthday momentous. Adulthood has been achieved. The past is merely preparation.
But by the time a person reaches 30 he is expected to have "become something." He suddenly realizes that those long anticipated days of preparation should now be bearing fruit.
Peering back from the milestone last week, I was troubled by the apparent lack of advancement. The traveled path, in spite of considerable effort, looked so brief.
Under that cloud I accompanied two of the short people to the skating rink Saturday night. While Allison has honed her skills somewhat, Aaron still spends most of his time clutching for support as he falls. He is, however, undaunted and his sojourns on the floor are short.
After warming up with a few creative spills, he set out to traverse the perimeter of the rink. It was a long and arduous journey. He would fall, get up, skate briefly, then fall again. Sixteen times he fell and sixteen times he shook his head, picked himself up, and tried again. I was reminded of e.e. cummings' "clumsily striving children."
When he finally got back around to where I was standing he fell with a crash at my feet. I fought off a laugh because his face was so intent, so earnest.
As I helped him up he said, "Did you see how fast I skated, Dad?"
The human spirit is glorious.
Driving home from the rink amid the delighted and proud comments of the short people, I looked back quickly from the milestone and was overwhelmed by the progress.... ~T. Stucky
2 comments:
I've said this after I've read a great many "Corners" but I really have to say I love this one, Allison...for several reasons, one of which is that we recently made our first family trip to the skating rink! And oh, what an experience!
as a 30-something parent, it hit home for me too - on so many levels!
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