Let me just tell you that handstands in the water are entirely a different thing than handstands on the land or even in the mind. When last January came around I made my dream board. I had never actually done this before. I have dreams. I even have a dream listthat I have written down but I had never cut out pictures as a visual reminder of what I want to accomplish. It’s helpful to see it each day but seeing it each day is not going to get me into a handstand.
I started to practice a lot in the swimming pool and I got better and better able to hold it longer and longer. It feels so liberating, much like floating. I just love being in the water and I love how I can do things in the water that I don’t normally do on land.
Knowing Austin was going to fly in this weekend the littlest and only girl had one request. She wanted to take a trip to the beach and do handstand with her two big brothers. Last summer she worked really hard and used a wall to get into her handstand and has not stopped but it wasn’t until a few weeks ago she had the courage to do it without the wall. She has seen her brothers doing handstands for years and she wanted to join them and do it at one of our favorite family places to meet up (Seal Beach) She made her dream come true! All three of these kids inspire me to my very core.
In my mind, I wanted to join them, how hard can it be? I want to just do this with them, just you know, get up in a handstand on the sand. I tried a few times and Abbie even said “mom the first step is believing you can” I believed alright but when my body went forward and down I couldn’t imagine it exactly holding up my entire body and especially when I’m officially the heaviest I have ever been. (brain block!) We did the next best thing. Austin showed me how to make a triangle with my hands on the ground, place my head in the center of the triangle and the two A’s held me up. The world upside down and especially the ocean is quite entertaining, I loved how the world looked that way.
I need a plan. I have a Pinterest board and I know a few people (my age even) who can do handstands. I will ask them for advice and work on my core and see what step two may be. The kids make it look like a piece of cake. It’s truly inspiring. Just wanted to share what I have been scheming up lately.