Oh Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy!

I never was much of a bowler. Our family did not do it much but I enjoyed it. I had a very interesting style.

My style was based on the fact that I was too weak to hold the bowling ball with one arm. I would stand with my toes facing the pins spread wider than my shoulders. I would then squat and hunch over with the ball cradled in my hands. I would then swing the ball back and forth until I could almost hear Obi-Wan Kenobi say "Use the Force, Luke." and release.

What usually happened was the ball would trickle down the center of the lane. Do to the lack of speed, the ball would veer off at the last second knocking over between 1 - 8 pins. It was fun, predictable, and consistent.

I perfected this style to the average of about 65. I was content.

I do not know why, lately, I have been reminiscing about the past. Why I find things in the present relating to memories in my past. It could be I am getting older and the past is taking up a larger percentage of my brain, or perhaps it is because I have been reading other peoples blogs, like Primate Brow Flash, and I am beginning to reflect those thoughts on my own life, but I think it is because of my children. The only reference I have to parenting are my parents and decisions I make are based on decisions they made years ago. This has me doing a lot of musing.

Anyway, back to bowling. I remember the game I changed my style and why. I could have keep bowling the way I had forever but my dad said that day it was time for me to start bowling like a big boy. I was terrible. Every other ball was in the gutter. My arm ached. I think I scored about 23 points.

The whole game I complained to my dad, siteing gutter ball after gutter ball as poof to his poor advice.

My scores sucked for a long time after that but eventually my average got back to about 65 and then one day my average rose above 100. It was then I knew why I needed to change. I was never going to improve. It took stepping back to eventually step forward. I know my children will learn that change, even when it makes thing harder, can make life better.

I think I need to take my family bowling!