Mama Kat Thursday: Late Lessons

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Today's Prompt is:   "Share something you learned embarrassingly late in life."

Napoleon's first bowling outing in "Bill & Ted's Most Excellent Adventure"
Alas, I didn't learn to bowl until I was 34.
    Not that it's embarrassing---perhaps just  unique.   
    My parents did a little league bowling together before us kids came along---I know this because I remember seeing the old bowling bags stashed out in our Dad's workshop.
     Bowling as a family just didn't end up being something we did. Probably because of the costs. Plus we lived way way out in the country, there wasn't even a convenient bowling alley around.
      My first attempt at bowling didn't happen until I was in the Air Force. My supervisor was putting together a hospital bowling league  and was trying to encourage my involvement, so offered to teach me how to bowl. That only lasted one try. Bowling is a skill that not only takes practice, but also requires a willingness to go through that awkward period of "not being good at it" to learn it, but I didn't have that willingness at 19. One ball down the lane and I only saw failure ahead of me. I had a long history of being inept in every sport and I was afraid of being in a team situation, like a bowling league, where others would be depending on me to help them "win." I just couldn't risk that and had nothing further to do with bowling or any group sport.
     By 34, however, I was more secure and willing to go through the not-so-good-at-it part of the learning process. I also had a circle of friends around me I felt I could trust to encourage me when I wasn't perfect and I wouldn't be rejected. We started up a weekly bowling event that was purely social in nature, which gave me plenty of opportunity to practice and I got fair enough at the game to least enjoy it.
    That's how I finally learned to bowl.

 

Comments

Jenny Fortner said…
I love this post! I was raised bowling, as both of my parents were bowlers. I have always been horrible at it, and very green with envy when my brothers always win! Thank you so much for the chuckle, and the reminder that you can still learn something new! Im thinking a trip to the nearest lanes are in order!

Stopping by via Mama Kats! Have a great weekend!
Jun 21, 2012, 3:37:00 PM
Anonymous said…
What an interesting observation about the no so good at it part of the learning process. I wonder how many things I passed up on learning, due to my fear of that learning curve. Excellent insight.
Jun 21, 2012, 4:28:00 PM
Jerralea said…
I once joined a church bowling league purely for social reasons...The best I ever bowled was 135. I did have fun, however, which should be the goal of any sport.

So, do you still bowl?
Jun 21, 2012, 7:46:00 PM
myself said…
so glad you were able to come out of it and LEARN. it's great fun... made even more so by "cosmic" bowling. crazy fun. but yeah... i'm STILL not so good at it. but guess what? i don't care. lol! just go out and have a good time.
Jun 22, 2012, 11:08:00 AM

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