Rediscovering My Inner Ten Year Old

Today, I returned home. And it was awesome! My kids had a skating party at the very same roller rink that I pretty much grew up in. It's been 20+ years since I'd been on skates, but I was determined to get my feet in a pair and help my kids.

Ambition is a great thing. Teaching a 7 year old, 5 year old, and 3 year old how to stand, let alone move, on boots with wheels...not so much.

But now, they have these terrific PVC pipe creations on casters to be used as skating trainers. They are indeed beautiful inventions. Wish I had thought of it. Instead, I got to rent three of them at $4 each...for all of about 15 minutes.

Each of the kids survived the rink from one entrance to the other. Using the trainers. My 5 year old actually went around three times after her initial shock wore off. I helped her, and she really enjoyed it.

And then...there were the moments I left them behind with Grammie while I took to the floor. I went from a wife and mom back to that 10 year old girl who found freedom on her skates. Under the colored lights, I was beautiful, skinny, powerful, fast...I could fly. I sailed between clumsy kids and tipping trainers. The musty scent of shoe sanitizer and crummy concession stand food breezed through my hair. I was the girl wearing the satin pink jacket with her purple pompoms on her lovely white skates who lit up the floor during Chicago's You're the Inspiration. Oh, how I missed her.

No 80s music. No disco ball (although one was hung!) No limbo or hokey-pokey. But really, I had such a marvelous time. If it weren't for my ouchy feet (skates hurt when you're out of practice!) and kids who'd been going all day, I would have stayed all night!

Guess I'll have to go back sometime soon! In the meantime, I'm on a search for my own pair of skates. Old school.

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