To my son

I remember the first time I took you for ice skating. You were so eager and couldn’t wait to go on to the ice.
You fell down even before you reached the ice. You fell down 21 times in 30 minutes.
By the time the lesson was over, your jeans was soaking wet and you looked so disappointed. I was ready to give you the usual lecture about ‘not giving up’, because I knew you were going to tell me that ice skating isn’t your cup of tea. I waited for you to say, you want to quit while I untied your skates, during the drive back home, even when I tucked you to bed. You just told me your knees are aching and your butt is frozen!

By the third lesson most of the kids in your group was already skating and you were still crawling and trying to stand on your skates. I noticed how your friends were laughing each time you fell down and I expected you to come and tell me that you were going to quit. I had the lecture all planned in my head about not giving up.

By the end of the year, your sister who started the lesson along with you was already in level 4 and you were still in level 1. I was sure you would be begging me to take you off skating.

I remember the devastation on your face when Yaya passed level 6 and got the trophy and certificate. I remember how happy I was for Yaya and how I wanted to own a magic wand that would let me make my son a good skater. I tried to tell you that you will be a good skater one day and you shook your head angrily and muttered “yeah right”
That night when I went to bed, I wondered if I was doing the right thing? Am I pushing my kids too much? I thought perhaps you were not a good skater and I should understand that. In the morning I was going to ask you if you wanted to quit, but then I heard you asking your sister how to do two point turn and she volunteered to help you and you were all smiles.

Today was the last lesson of this season and from your last report I knew you had to complete three more steps to finish level 6. Something I was sure couldn’t be done in 2 weeks. So you can imagine my shock when I saw you walking out of the ice holding your trophy and the certificate. You did it my precious son. I am so proud of you. Thank you for not giving up and for showing me that you don’t have to quit because everyone else is better than you..

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