Skating with my girl

In 1974 my life changed dramatically.

I was 9 years old. And my family emerged from a cult-like lifestyle into reality. 

I went to school for the first time. 

We lived in a real home. With power. And running water. And flush toilets.  (I have a back story here... oh good Lord, I feel like I have an entire 400 page book arising here.. ) 

We moved into a house across the street from the city (town?) arena. 

I didn't become a fantastic figure skater or a hockey player, but I could skate with enough fluency to zip around the arena doing fancy cross-leg strokes as I rounded the corners, and do a graceful spin, and stop on dime. 

Kitty corner to the arena was Safeway. Where we would wander the aisles filling our pockets with bulk candy before entering the side door of the arena after one of our group of friends would pay to enter and then block open the side exit door so the rest of us could enter for free. 

It's been many years, even decades, since I was nine years old. 

But I recently bought skates for myself and my seven-year-old granddaughter. She has shown a recent interest in skating and I have shown a recent interest in getting my ass off my computer chair. 

Maeve and I have been skating about once a week - going to the Outdoor Oval when the weather cooperates or to public skating at an indoor rink when necessary. 

Yesterday was a sunny +2 degrees day at The Oval. 

As we approached the ice surface we were greeted by Liam, a friendly young 4-year-old with a vocabulary that rivals my grandchildren - and this is an impressive feat. He was a  talker extraordinaire, just like my Maeve.  Turns out he was skiing at Sun Peaks last weekend with my Beatrice as well. 

Blah, blah blah... 

I could entertain/bore you with details of the day... 

But I was so entertained by these two as they encouraged, challenged and supported each other as they skated hard, fell with ridiculously bone-jarring falls, and raised their hands in victory together when they recovered from jittery almost certain falls.

He was such a go-hard give-all who often fell to the ice with a THUD. My teeth literally rattled at times. And he'd hit the ice with an "Oouch!" And Meave would respond with "Are you ok?"

After a while he responded, "Stop asking if I'm ok all the time. I'm fine." 

And she answers, "You fall and you say 'ouch'. I'm just the kind of person who loves their friends and wants to make sure they are okay."

Granny's heart swells with pride. 

I love how her skating skills advance every time we skate. 

I love how her genuine love of people teaches me a lesson every time I interact with her. 

At one point in our skate, I am following behind her and Liam and I hear her telling him, 

"I have a plan for my life. I am going to become a vet and then I am going to adopt a child... if I have enough money." 

"And when I adopt, I am going to adopt an older child because older children have a harder time being adopted and finding a loving family." 

Oh. My. Good. Loving. Jesus. 

I so often feel like I am simply fumbling through life. 

And then my seven-year-old granddaughter speaks reality, inadvertently, into my life. 

Gosh I love her.

"Let's take a break here on the snow bank" 

"Granny, let's re-do this photo cuz I want to do "The Dab"