That New Year feeling

As New Year approaches, I start to get restless and find myself wanting to plan and put into practice lots of things. There's the list of places to travel to, things to do, places to visit, restaurants to sample and new activities etc. Just before the New Year dawned, we as a family, were discussing what we all wanted to do. One of the areas for discussion was trying out new things and as it had been suggested that we go ten pin bowling on the 2nd Jan, Ellie and I were destined to get that opportunity very soon. Neither of us had tried before and both of us were a tad nervous - fear of the unknown, I suppose and in my case the fear of making a fool of myself.

Ellie's opportunity moved ever closer when our friends and neighbours asked to take her bowling on New Year's Eve. I knew that she would hesitate in her decision so I immediately said yes and off she went to get her shoes and coat. Her little face looked rather concerned as she set off but I need not have worried as 4 hours later she returned triumphant. She had scored two strikes, had a ball and couldn’t wait till today.

Now it was my turn to be nervous - Alan had bowled years ago and all our friends had done so before so would I make a real fool of myself. The whole place was not as intimidating as I had thought, after all who was going to be thinking about or watching me when they were there with friends and family. My first go saw me get a strike but then of course in the next go I thought about it all too much and stepped on the line scoring nothing. Beginner's luck? No, you make your own luck so I thought about the basics of Timothy Galway's great book 'The Inner Game of Tennis' and the simplicity he uses and applied it. I did not get any more strikes but I played a good game, thoroughly enjoyed it and will be back in the not too distant future for some more. Ellie, in the meantime, has decided this is one of her favourite sports now and wants to go again tomorrow. For both of us there's a new activity tried and tested in the book already. Wonder what will be next?