Call Me A Juggler, Please
I’m a juggler. Or at least I call myself one.
A few months ago, I started learning how to juggle. I found it fascinating, exiting, exhilarating. It was an amazing discovery – I find it similar to when a toddler discovers how to walk. A toddler will walk, fall down, and get back up again and try to walk. It takes time to learn this skill, no matter how much the toddler would like to.
I went through the toddler stage with juggling. I constantly tried, and tried, and tried and constantly stumbled on my face. And when I had finally found out how to walk, I wanted to run. I began trying tricks right away. Juggling 3 balls the same way, again and again wasn’t good enough for me. So I began learning the tricks of the trade. I tried throwing a ball under the arm. I did circles in reverse. I was jocosely juggling.
After I had learned how to juggle 4 balls, and several 3 ball tricks, my passion for this sport started to diminish. I was still enthusiastic about trying, but I didn’t have that same flare that I did when I first learned. That’s when I realized that I needed to be challenged with something completely new, something out of the ordinary. Or at least be given something that will make me want to juggle.
A couple weeks ago, with just a month left in my In-Depth Journey, I began juggling clubs. For some reason, these didn’t seem challenging as 3 balls had been. It took just a couple of days to get the feel of them, and I can now juggle 3 clubs for up to 30 seconds – a feat I thought I’d never accomplish. But even that wasn’t enough to me. That’s where the prospect of uni-cycling came into play. I’ve been practicing unicycling for almost 2 weeks now, and I’m finding it quite enjoyable. As part of a challenge, I have almost reached the point when I can actually ride without something to hold on to. And I’m very proud of it.
We are coming up to the night soon, the night in which I must present what I have learned. At first, I was nervous about this. After all, I was expected to perform. I can honestly say I cancelled out that idea not because I’m afraid of the stage, but rather, I don’t have enough tricks to hold a stage for more than 20 seconds. I was also presented with the plan of filming my progress, but that seemed like a daunting task. So I went ahead and asked my teacher what to do. I was amazed with the answer: I can just juggle wherever I want, and maybe unicycle around a bit, and talk to people! It seems so odd, yet, it seems like it would add to the atmosphere. Make the In-Depth night slightly more entertaining. So I plan on greeting people coming in while juggling. All I can say is that it will definitely be unique.
As I wrap up my in-depth of juggling, I’ve realized that I’ve loved every minute of it. From juggling 3 balls to riding a unicycle, this experience (and its skills) with last me a lifetime. I don’t think this will be the kind of project you drop as soon as it’s no longer expected of you. I think that it will be a skill which stays with me. I plan to pursue more clubs, and 5 balls, even after In-Depth is finished. I think it’s a great hobby to pursue, and would recommend it to anyone slightly interested. And don’t tell ever tell me it’s boring. Think about it – keeping several balls in the air simultaneously can never be boring. Try it for yourself, and you’ll find out.
