My first cartwheel

Tonight, I attempted my first cartwheel, a not very standard one, at the ripe age of 33. Before I tried it, I was terrified, first, of falling on my head and cracking my neck, or toppling over. Second, of being laughed at for doing such a lousy cartsheel.

As it turned out, none of these happened. Although I probably performed an ugly cartwheel, no one laughed, and I even fell twice on my buttocks, but I felt a huge sense of relief for overcoming my mortal fear of injuring myself.

I told my coach, when it was finally my turn to try, that I was scared, and I really was. A very encouraging fellow student told me to remember to lock my arms and I will never injure myself. So I listened to him and did just that, after breathing in heavily in and out and psyching myself to just do it.

It was quite fun in the end. I will practice it in Botanic Gardens over the weekend on the grass patch, just in case I fall again. And I probabkly will.