Making Archery Dreams Come True?
From my earliest childhood memories I can remember wanting to learn to shoot a bow. I grew up in a small country town, you'd think someone around me would be shooting something other than a gun, but to this day I don't recall knowing anyone who did archery back then.
On a father daughters camping trip when I was around 5 or 6, my dad made my sister and I bows from sticks and string. While whittling he got cut, I remember a lot of blood and all our bandaids, but I also remember running through the forest with my sister Beth trying to shoot stuff with homemade bows and arrows (really just sticks) and having the time of our lives.
I don't remember ever asking for a bow growing up, I don't think it was in my frame of reference, I had no access and assumed it was financially out of my reach. These ideas followed me into adulthood, more than just with archery, but this idea of things being out of my reach. But as my frame of reference changed the dream reach grew, as well.
I asked over and over again for what I wanted, every cartoon, movie, book or image male or female depicting an archer. I would say, I want to try that someday (meaning now!) Like so many things in my life, and I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in this, I didn't have the where-with-all to make it happen for myself. It seemed to Big, to out there. I needed a go between. Someone that could see me doing it. That someone was my husband Todd, my true believer. He heard me and took the risk to hand me my dream.
Everything changed a few years ago when he and an archer friend, Abe got together and formulated a plan to give me archery for my birthday. I was terrified! Mainly of failing or worse not liking it. But I faced my fears. And wasn't great (don't we all dream of being olympic material on the first try), but I was good enough to be hooked.
Whatever it is for you...
Learning the oboe
Singing opera
Climbing mountains
Quilting
Throwing your own pots
Trying drum core
Going back to school
Etc.
The key may not be handed to you after 30 years of hoping. You may have to grab that thing you want to try and say screw failure, screw not liking it, screw the unknown! I'm giving this a try!
I didn't know the key to facing archery would give me courage to try other things, but it has and I am grateful every day. It also has started a fire in me to combine healthy life skills with body work and meditation.
No one that wants to try archery should be left out because of access.
Me trying archery for the first time! You can't tell, but I'm over the moon.
#body #selfwork #archery #dreams #tryingnewthings #meditation #takingcontrol
