Mr. Ginley has been known to remark, "If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't know what holding was (football) or the infield fly rule (baseball) or what the five hole is (hockey).
This may have been in part because I was never athletically inclined during my growing up years. I excelled at activities that required endurance but not skill. One of my favorite gym classes in high school was called "conditioning." We were required to fulfill a certain number of activities to pass the class -- run a certain number of laps around the gym, do x number of push-ups and so many jumping jacks.
Certainly, early on I was hampered by the fact I refused to wear glasses, rendering me useless at softball, for example, because I couldn't see the ball until it was hitting me in the head. Something which I had a total dread of. As a result, if I sensed the ball was coming at me, I had a tendency to duck, which is not the desirable reaction for an outfielder.
I once took a tai chi class, which so stressed me out, I ended up dropping out. Sure, I could repulse a monkey or grasp a sparrow's tail with the best of them. But it was going from one movement to the next with grace and fluidity that tripped me up. As a result, instead of moving in the same direction as the rest of the class, I would find myself face-to-face with a classmate. At some point during the course, it occurred to me that feeling agitated after each session was not doing me any good.
Finally, I landed on walking as exercise. Happily, I can hoof it with the best of them. For miles and miles in the park and around the neighborhood. And walking is something I can do in the comfort and convenience of my own home -- I have a pile of exercise DVDs and a small TV in my basement. There, no one is watching me oof and ugh through the routines, and I feel pretty good when I'm finished.
Plus, I don't have to worry about getting hit in the head. Or hearing snickers from others around me.
Best of all, the instructor on the video always tells me that I've done a good job and encourages me to come back next time.
Sure, I know she's not talking just to me.
But I appreciate her inspiring words, all the same.
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