Push and Pull

We need to have a little talk about this girl growing up. The constant push and pull of letting go and holding on at the same time is a powerful force. Callie had her first gymnastics class this week and the push and pull forces were in an all out battle when it came down to show time.   

This idea of trying out gymnastics was completely her own.  It's the first thing she's wanted to do without mama first having to plant the seed and then water and nurture the idea until it became a reality.  Nope, this endeavour was all her doing.

So when it came time for the class to start and all girls were called to the mat for warm-up, the usually invisible push and pull forces were in front of us plain as day.  My big girl was standing there, dressed in her new gym suit (she tried on about 20 until she found the one that felt right), her blond curls were all pulled back into one ponytail (which she never does) and she was feeling the push... the push to join the other girls on the mat and begin this gymnastics thing that she's wanted to try so badly but the pull to stay close to mom where things are safe and familiar was not going to go down without a fight.

And when all was said and done, there were a few tears and a lot of smiles.  Mom stayed close by and cousin and aunty helped the push force overpower the pulling back.  And my girl grew just a little bit more, right in front of my eyes.

To balance out the new, we threw in a little old and familiar...we're back at the rink and sister never had a second thought.  The push force completely squashed any shred of the pull force here where she is comfortable and confident and knows what to expect for year three of skating lessons.  

And, of course, little sister is never far behind.  

Callie had her singing debut of O'Canada, en francais, with her classmates at the local hockey game on the weekend.  This group of six year olds rocked it!  Not a single one of them were overpowered by the pull force, just brave kids and their teacher Standing on Guard for Thee and growing up at the same time.