From the Heart
When we are in Tampa, I often go out to the golf course and watch Chuck chip and putt and drive and all those golf things he does. I sometimes attempt to entertain him by doing a bit of the same.
Once in a while I do enough to get a high five from him or even, on occasion, I get to do a fist pump. I actually have two official golf shirts. At least I look the part of a golfer.
He knew when he married me, while I loved sports, I had never voluntarily participated in them.
It was a few days ago when we were visiting my daughter, Emily, and her family in Tampa, I was showing Leah a few yoga moves.
Child’s pose was a challenge as Leah had trouble staying still and not peeking. “Relax Leah.” I quickly discovered that was not going to happen.
After a few minutes of yoga, Leah decided to show us how to do gymnastics. Now you have to understand this girl has abs like no five year old I have ever seen. She has flexibility like Gumby. She has no fear. She recently climbed to the top of the rock wall in the gymnasium at the Y.
She flips over the bars with the greatest of ease in her gymnastics class. She makes it look easy. She holds herself up and smiles. “I got this Grandma!”
While watching TV she goes into the splits and then up into a headstand and back to the splits. “Where did we get this girl?”
She asks if I can do a cartwheel. Sadly, I could never do one when I was five, let alone now that I am … well older. I was born without any athletic ability. Other than math, my least favorite subject was gym class. I was the last chosen on any team.
In the eighth grade we had to do 100 gymnastics moves and tricks and jumps and balances. I thought I would die as I ran towards the horse. I survived but it wasn’t pretty.
Leah pulled her gymnastics pad into the living room. Leah said, “Grandma can you do a somersault?” I thought surely I could do that. I began to tumble forward, landing sideways. I laid there for a few minutes trying to make sure I had not hurt anything. My head felt as if I had been on a loop de loop roller coaster.
I sat quietly tying to regain my balance.
I saw Chuck get up from his chair where he had been reading and watching Leah and I.
He tumbled forward into a perfect somersault. Leah cheered. “Grand Chuck, that was awesome!” Chuck quietly sat back in his chair and continued to read.
I don’t think Leah will ever choose me to be on her team. It’s okay. I will sit on the bench and watch her and Grand Chuck. And I thought his golfing ability was amazing.