Dear fellow residents of the World of Blog,
I hope you are very well. My news is that I can finally, amazingly, walk on stilts free from ladders, hands etc! Here’s my compilation of learnings.
Things I have learnt about life by learning to walk on stilts (aka. Walking Tall through Life)
1 Keep centred, focus on the task whilst on stilts. Keep your centre of gravity low for stability. In life it helps to keep centred, it is stabilising too, and makes you have a clearer perspective on yourself and what is going on around you.
2 Move just your legs, not your whole body; a swaying torso compromises balance, and adds unnecessary effort. In life, focus on the required action and allow the remainder of yourself to support that.
3 It’s nice to hold someone’s hand but it’s really for mental reassurance. The real work is done in your own head and your own legs. Real life metaphor: Assistance is good and supports you with doing your own work.
4 Synchronise your arm movement with your leg movement. As in life, if things are integrated it all works better.
5 The stilts need to be taken care of; and attach the stilts really tightly so they don’t slide. As in life: work with good equipment, well maintained. Keeps you feeling safe and secure, thus able to concentrate on walking (living).
6 If at first you don’t get it, have a rest and try again with help. If you don’t get it that day come back another day. Keep coming back. Persistance is powerful.
7 A good teacher is worth a ton of guesses from not knowing. The kind teacher will keep gently pushing you along the process. They have seen people go through the stages you are going through more often than you have been through them! The good teacher is ahead of you on the learning path, but has doubled back to assist and encourage. As in life, there is great value in an experienced and patient teacher.
8 Keep hydrated but don’t drink free-standing till you are more accomplished. Hold the ladder at first cos when you throw your head back it will change your balance. In life, your aim is to improve, but for practicality sometimes you have to live within your abilities so you don’t crash!
9 Falling isn’t the end of the world. The earth is there to catch you. You still learn what you need to about falling even if somebody catches you. You don’t have to bruise your knees every time to learn your lessons. If you do get bruised arnica cream mitigates the damage. There is much learning and healing to be had from “failures”.
10 Fear keeps you safe. Fear makes you appreciate your achievement when you overcome it and master your task.
11 Keep your head up and look where you are going.
12 Advanced stilt walking and tricky stuff will come in good time! Life lesson: You are on your own personal timetable.
13 Enjoy the achievements of others and don’t compare yourself to others. The people who are ahead of you can teach you stuff and encourage and inspire you. They have their own timetables and obstacles. The people alongside you are your companions in the learning.
14 Even when you can’t do it yet, the act of trying is building up your muscles. Effort brings progress, even if not that all-obvious end point yet.
Be Brave and Take Care with stilt walking. life and all your endeavours,
Meg
