Shopper Blog: Powell teacher Nate Jones likes his swimwear so much he wants to be a model
POWELL
Powell teacher Nate Jones likes his swimwear so much he wants to be a model
Al Lesar, Shopper News
Spotlights never intimidated Nate Jones.
“I definitely have no fear of the spotlight,” Jones said. “I like to make people laugh, make someone happy. I’m just a goofy guy.”
A 2018 Central High School graduate, Jones scratches his performance itch a couple times a day as a student teacher in U.S. history (juniors) and world history (freshmen) at Powell High School.
But, then again, there’s Chubbies.
Since he was a senior in high school, Jones has been a huge fan of the Chubbies brand of shorts and swimwear. Recently, the company has added polo shirts to its inventory, which has given Jones an opportunity to wear the brand in school.
At 6 feet and 235 pounds, the former prep baseball player and bowler spent a year as a personal trainer while chasing his history education undergraduate degree at the University of Tennessee.
That confidence in his physique came in handy when Jones took a shot at Chubbies’ modeling competition this spring.
“I like that the company has a frat boy college lifestyle image,” Jones said. “They run a fun, energetic campaign.”
Lots of support
In early April, the call went out for model contestants. Photos, a video and a bio with some catchy slogans went into the profile Jones put together.
Online voting that ran April 17-29 was part of the criteria. Judging also factored in the photos and the rest of the profile.
“I’d always hear my students say they voted for me,” Jones said. “My family and friends also showed up for me.”
Jones said the top 12 of about 25 contenders would be taken to a resort for more modeling work. From that group, three would be offered three-year modeling contracts.
“I’ve learned that when I have people around me; when I have a strong support system, anything is possible,” Jones said. “With the students’ support, it felt pretty good.”
Fit for classroom
While modeling is a lark that’s more joke than dream, Jones appreciates the opportunity he’s been given as a teacher.
It’ll even be better next year when the Fountain City native starts getting paid for his work when he begins a job at Gresham Middle School, where he attended.
“I’m a guy who has had eight addresses in four years,” said Jones, who’s living in a camper right now. “I feel like I’m prepared for anything in life. With the support of my family, I can handle anything.”
This school year has convinced him that he was meant to be a teacher.
“Teaching is hard; it’s a big responsibility,” he said. “I’ve learned that I love being in the classroom. I’m a pretty patient guy, but I’ve learned more patience. I’ve learned there are some students who are slower and I have to adapt to different levels.”
His goal is to teach his students to go beyond memorizing names and dates.
“I’ve had debates in class, giving the students readings and having them take sides,” he said. “I’ve had classroom simulations. Anything to keep them thinking.
“It’s been important for me to lean on my mentors. Teaching is about teamwork.”
WEST KNOXVILLE
Knoxville annual Beaver Creek Flotilla
Nancy Anderson, Shopper News
More than 400 Beaver Creek enthusiasts braved threatening skies to gather at Aubrey’s Launch in Powell for the sixth annual Beaver Creek Flotilla, presented by FirstBank on May 20.
The event was facilitated by the Beaver Creek Kayak Club (BCKC) and its nearly 4,000 members.
The rain held off until a few of the last kayakers left the water at Roy Arthur Stormwater Park in Karns some 2½ hours after takeoff.
“It was the perfect day,” said Float Master John Becker, news anchor at WBIR-TV. “It’s extraordinary what Knox County Parks and Rec has done in a short amount of time.
“I saw a lot of beautiful wildlife on the creek today. A blue heron followed us all the way down to Karns. You can tell Beaver Creek is a refuge for some amazing wildlife,” Becker said.
It’s an environmental success story. Knox County Parks and Rec has a dedicated team that works on Beaver Creek every day. They have cleared more than 80 jams and 2,000 tons of debris. The goal is to eventually connect the Gibbs, Halls, Powell, Karns and Solway communities through 44 miles of pristine waterway culminating at Melton Hill Lake.
“What an absolutely amazing day this was. People came from all around, not just Knox County. A large contingency came from Sevierville, the most pristine area in America to float the Beaver. That means we are becoming a place to go for outdoor recreation and that’s what we want,” said BCKC founder Charlie Austin.
Austin echoed Becker’s sentiments, saying the creek must be well maintained to attract a healthy bird population.
Smoky Mountain Raptor Center sent an avian ambassador along with Zena the Hawk to demonstrate the importance of clean bird habitats.
New this year was an uptick in volunteers and vendors. Scouts designed and made stickers for the event for an Eagle Scout project. They were a big hit.
Kim Cantrell from Knoxville Pays it Forward was on hand to collect donations of things much needed by the underserved in Knoxville.
Many local churches including Beaver Ridge United Methodist, West Towne Christian Church and First Baptist Church of Powell, all donated shuttle buses to take kayakers from Roy Arthur Stormwater Park back to Aubrey’s Launch in Powell. The Way Church Knoxville was on site to feed breakfast to all the volunteers and provide a kids’ area for play.
“Not only does Beaver Creek connect communities, but the Flotilla itself really brings communities together,” Austin said. “The churches were of several different denominations, and all kinds of volunteers all working together.”
Austin received a surprise this year when Knox County commissioners voted unanimously to name the new BoardSafe Dock at Roy Arthur Stormwater Park in Karns “Charlie’s Launch.”
“It’s not about me, it’s about the whole BCKC club and everything they do to keep Beaver Creek, clean, clear and cared for,” Austin said.
Info: Find Beaver Creek Kayak Club on Facebook.
BEARDEN
Remember the old Knoxville Kmarts, 1960s 70s retail?
John Shearer, Shopper News
Knoxville Wholesale Furniture has in recent weeks done some updating on its clearance center at 7428 Kingston Pike across Morrell Road from West Town Mall.
That has included redoing the front of the store that until recently still looked from the parking lot just like the Kmart that had been there for decades – minus, of course, the Kmart sign.
Longtime West Hills resident Nancy Richer remembers well the Kmart that opened there more than 50 years ago.
“They had many departments, including appliances and televisions,” she said. “I liked the clothing department because you could find copies of good brands in there for less. Also, I loved the ads on Sunday, which were always full of bargains.”
The early Kmarts of the 1960s and 1970s were indeed like a baby boomer’s paradise, as chain stores featuring large assortments of toys, sporting equipment, bicycles, clothing, and other items were just starting to appear.
They were larger than the local dime or toy stores, and the parents liked how they were less expensive than a department store or other similar places. Kmart was generally the leader in the nationwide discount retail chain concept at that time, with others like Gibson’s Discount Center and Zayre’s also starting to appear in the South.
Walmart and Target would not start to gain the dominant footing on the East Tennessee discount retail market and force stores like Kmart into decline until after about 1990 or so.
Kmart had started as the Kresge dime/variety stores in the late 1800s, but in 1962 executive Harry Cunningham opened a more discount-themed store in Michigan as the first Kmart. Some 16 more were opened across the nation that year, including one at 5104 Clinton Pike (now Clinton Highway) in the Clinton Pike Plaza.
A second Knoxville store was opened at 4434 N. Broadway in the mid-1960s, with the one on Kingston Pike becoming the third Knoxville store when it opened in August 1968. Some promotional stories found in the News Sentinel online said the Kingston Pike store was massive at more than 104,000 square feet. It also featured a Kmart Food Market on the east end with a separate front entrance.
The manager of that Kmart was to be Arthur Loesser, and on hand for the opening were William K. Marshall, a corporate vice president, and Robert F. Kresge, the co-director of Kmart merchandising corporate wide. The latter was likely related to the founding family, and his 2006 obituary said he worked for the company for 38 years.
The Kingston Pike store when it opened had a pharmacy, a lawn and garden center, sporting goods, toys, clothing, and those coveted items from the late 1960s – record stereos and televisions. Color televisions were quickly growing into a must-have luxury at that time, and to entice customers, the West Knoxville Kmart had a special room it called the Stereo Color Television Center.
It could accommodate 30 shoppers, including maybe husbands trying to catch a game while their wives were shopping elsewhere in the store. It also featured a state-of-the-art rheostat light dimmer to see what watching TV with the lights low was like.
And, of course, in those early years and beyond, shoppers were attracted to the Blue Light Specials. That is when a police-like blue light would start flashing somewhere in the store, and someone on the intercom would announce a special sale of some items at that spot for a limited time. Many a Knoxville shopper and bargain hunter would soon hustle to that part of the store looking for a good deal.
Stores were later opened at such places as 5720 Asheville Highway, 7300 Chapman Highway, 6909 Maynardville Pike, and 11244 Kingston Pike.
But no Knoxville Kmarts remain today.
The store near West Town was closed in January 2008 after officials said it was “underperforming” in sales. The Kmart grocery store, which had been operated by Allied Supermarkets in an agreement with Kmart/S.S. Kresge, was closed there in January 1976.
And with the remodeling done by the furniture store, another tangible reminder of that Kingston Pike Kmart that once took the retail area by storm has disappeared as well.
“It’s a shame Kmart closed down,” said Richer, who remembers some of the employees and has not forgotten the advertising slogan of your dollar buying you more. “I really miss it and think of it every time I drive by that furniture store. But I have good memories of it and especially the people.”
POWELL
No shock collars at Motivated Mutts, dog training based on science
Al Lesar, Shopper News
One of the after-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic has been its impact on dogs.
When the pandemic hit and a lockdown ensued, a popular notion was to get a dog. The idea was, since the family will be spending a lot of time together, why not add a furry friend?
The problem with that scenario has been with the socialization of those adopted puppies.
“The most important time for a dog’s socialization is from 8 to 20 weeks,” said Christy Rivera, owner of The Motivated Mutt, LLC (3523 W. Emory Road, Powell). “Without that exposure to other dogs and the socialization, there is fear and reactivity. We work with a lot of dogs to get beyond that.”
Fearful and aggressive dogs − along with young puppies − are the focus of the three one-hour Saturday classes that The Motivated Mutt LLC offers. There are more planned as the business, begun in November 2022, develops.
Positivity-based
A native of northeastern Ohio, Rivera has always been surrounded by dogs. Her favorite has been Oakley, a German Shepherd/Chow mix that followed her on adventures to Oregon and finally to East Tennessee.
“Oakley was my heart and soul,” Rivera said. She lost Oakley in 2021.
Rivera met her husband and earned an associate’s degree at the University of Tennessee. They live in Norwood. Rivera had worked in several veterinary offices as well as other dog training venues.
She is a member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and is working on her certification.
“Everything we do is based on science,” Rivera said of her and her four staff members. “Everything we do is based on positive reinforcement. There aren’t any shock collars or anything that will cause your dog any pain or discomfort mentally or physically.”
When Rivera talked about being science-based, she referred to the experiments of Pavlov having training success with treat reinforcement.
A good start
Oakley continues to be front and center in Rivera’s mind − every time she walks into the 1,400-square-foot business or visits the website.
“He taught me so much about training,” Rivera said of her dog. “We used his likeness as our logo.”
The business end of the operation has been the tough part for Rivera. Besides the training area, the entire storefront is devoted to retail. Collars, leashes, harnesses, puzzle toys and a variety of other dog-related items are available.
There is no overnight boarding done at the facility. Rivera hopes to add pet-sitting to her services once the right person can be found.
Six-week classes for puppies 8-16 weeks old cost $195. Classes for dogs 16 weeks and older are $175. Classes for reactive dogs are $225. The first week of each class is humans-only, so there will be no distractions. A one-hour social period before the puppy classes is free for those enrolled, or $10 for drop-ins to the socialization only.
“I’m most passionate about the puppy classes,” Rivera said. “We want to give them a good start.”
For more information, call (865) 226-9889 or email: motivatingmutts@gmail.com.
SOUTH KNOXVILLE
Some clothes are free at Knox Pride Center's Thriftique shop
Ali James, Shopper News
Knox Pride Center opened the Thriftique, a reimagined shopping experience, in early January. “The grand opening was the first weekend of February and we had 400-500 people come through that day,” said John Camp, the president of the Knox Pride Community and Resource Center at 4044A Chapman Highway.
“The plan was to always have a clothing closet, but that was from a naive place and not understanding the full extent of people’s struggles,” said Camp. “We realized that the need was much greater, and the outpouring of support was also great.”
Camp said they needed to remove the stigma of the clothing closet, “so they feel like they are coming to shop and not for a handout. It is an intentional and nice place to be.”
Everything is $5, and all profits go back into the center. “If you cannot afford clothing, you are welcome to take what you need at no cost, no questions asked,” said Camp. “Some people are paying, some aren’t and are confused that it is free.”
The Thriftique is open 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and the first Sunday of every month for their vendor market. “We do $10 fill-a-bag sales and have looked at extending our hours,” said Camp. “Every day we have people waiting outside before we open to the public.”
New items are added daily and the Thriftique is “size-inclusive.”
“We have a nicer selection, because queer people have good clothes,” Camp said. Because the Thriftique strives not to throw anything away, they urge people not to donate anything they wouldn’t wear.
“Two to three times we have had to pause donations and make public announcements,” said Camp. “Depending on how busy we are and how many volunteers we have, we can get bogged down with limited space, so we have to be careful of how much we take.”
Appropriate work wear for interviews is always in high demand. “With our life skills and resumé-building classes we come over here and help them put outfits together,” said Camp. “During prom season they come here to shop because they feel more affirmed and safer. Removing the barrier of money has allowed them to do the more normal things that people take for granted.”
The Knox Pride merchandise shop is inside the Thriftique and is one of the biggest fundings of the annual Pridefest event. The center also houses a food pantry, office space, a podcast studio, vocational suite where they offer an average of 35 classes, support groups, events, resource and jobs fairs. Outside there is a community garden and an outdoor refrigerated pantry next to the Sam Duff Park restroom pavilion.
It is almost two years to the day that Camp picked up the keys to what is now the Knox Pride Community and Resource Center, but it started out in 2016 as the East Tennessee Equality Council Inc.
“The growth has been really crazy. I left my corporate job to work here full time,” Camp said. “We have taken on a full-time employee, Story VanNess, who left her full-time job as a teacher and is now our assistant director at Knox Pride and program director for Trans/Non-Binary Support Services.”
The Center is still waiting patiently for their neighbor to move out so that they can expand into the adjoining retail shop. That means space is still an issue, with an average of 35 events a month, including classes, support groups and fundraisers.
Additionally, Knox Pride keeps a satellite pantry stocked at South Press Coffee and three to five area blessing boxes.
A recent sidewalk extension has helped to accommodate the Knox Pride Vendors Market, which is composed of 35 minority and queer vendors and attracts more than 1,000 visitors every month.
The next big event is the third annual Pride Night at Zoo Knoxville 5:30-8 p.m. June 2. Five dollars from every admission goes directly to Knox Pride Center. “Last year we raised enough to pay half a year’s rent,” said Camp.The ultimate goal for the Knox Pride Center is to build a campus with a youth housing facility, a strip mall of businesses for the kids to work in, an expanded community garden and rent-controlled space. A full calendar and list of resource services can be found at knoxpride.com.
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NORTH KNOXVILLE
KCDC, Bike Walk Knoxville partner for kids’ safety
Carol Z. Shane Shopper News
Very often, it’s the smaller things that make the biggest difference.
When members of Bike Walk Knoxville took a walk around town with elected officials last year to assess problematic areas for bike and pedestrian traffic, they found plenty that needed fixing. Especially for some of Knoxville’s most vulnerable citizens: elementary school children.
Specifically, young residents of First Creek at Austin who attend Green Magnet Academy.
The topic of pedestrian safety had come up before, in extensive talks between Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation (KCDC) and the residents of what was then called Austin Homes, who were looking at a complete restructuring of their residences.
“In 2019 we started the Austin Homes project,” said Ben Bentley, CEO and executive director of KCDC. “We heard a lot about the site, and how great it could be, except that it was separated from all the places residents needed to go. The only thing you could access safely was Vine Middle School.”
The potentially dangerous situation was a byproduct of the urban renewal that began in 1959 and was finished in 1974, almost 50 years ago. The Knoxville City Council unanimously passed a resolution in December 2020 to apologize for past actions hurting Black communities. The council vowed to address equity restoration, and big issues like housing have necessarily taken precedence.
Which is why the Bike Walk Knoxville event was so important.
Founded in 2012 as a nonprofit, BWK has been hosting tours for elected officials for years.
“We bring them out to tour parts of our community either on foot or by bike,” said Zoe Scott, BWK’s advocacy, education and communications coordinator.
In April 2022, they hosted Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon, County Commissioners Dasha Lundy and Larsen Jay, Knoxville City Councilman Charlie Thomas, Green Magnet principal Jessica Holman and some representatives from the board of education and KCDC for a tour of the Summit Hill/First Creek at Austin/Green Magnet area. “That walk really brought everybody together,” said Scott.
Bentley agreed. “Until you get boots on the ground, I don’t think you’d be fully aware of how treacherous that walk can be, especially for kids who are 5-11 years old.”
On May 19, representatives of KCDC, Bike Walk Knoxville and Green Magnet Academy, along with community leaders and schoolchildren, officially opened and made the first cross of a new signalized crosswalk at the corner of E. Summit Hill and Lula Powell drives, which will direct pedestrians and motorists and ensure a safer route for First Creek at Austin schoolchildren.
“The small things are what differentiate a house and a place to live from a great community,” said Bentley, “and we’re trying to create great communities.”
The next Bike Walk Knoxville tour is planned for the Forest Heights community in Bearden, and the public is invited to take part. Those interested should meet at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6 at Everly Brothers Park, at the intersection of Forest Park Boulevard and Kingston Pike. The walk will be approximately a mile in length.
Info: bwknox.org.
BEARDEN
Bearden High valedictorian didn't make the grade easily
John Shearer, Shopper News
When Kathleen Hartono was called to the West Mall part of Bearden High in early March with some other seniors, they learned they had made the top 10 of the Class of 2023 academically.
While Hartono had prided herself on her work in STEM classes and being able to learn likely results, she was admittedly taken aback by what came next in the student gathering. After Nathan Brusseau was announced as the salutatorian, she was – to her surprise – named the valedictorian.
“I was very shocked,” she said with a laugh. “I had a difficult time with my academics in my junior year. It was very shocking.”
As Hartono talked on the phone recently while getting ready for her valedictory speech at Bearden's graduation May 31 on the partial theme of gratefulness, she admitted that her journey academically had been an up-and-down affair. And in contrast with many students, it did not correlate precisely with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020 that resulted in virtual learning for a period and an even longer slowdown of normal activities.
She said her ninth-grade year went fine as she took general freshmen classes and some fine arts courses during the school year when the pandemic began. But as 10th grade arrived, she began taking more challenging STEM-focused classes, and the academic challenges intensified even more her junior year, she said.
“It gradually became more difficult,” she said of her life as a student. “Even though I was really enjoying all the content, I had some personal stuff going on and it all came at one time. Balance was the hardest.”
However, she learned how to stabilize her time better by the time she was a senior. And her grades were still balanced toward all A’s, despite having to spend a lot of time studying such subjects as calculus and physics.
And when she was chosen the valedictorian, she felt none worse for the wear. “I was gratified for having the capability to take certain classes and courses not readily available for everybody,” she said in appreciation for the academic opportunities at Bearden.
Despite all the academic challenges of school, she still managed to have some fun, including through a couple of extracurricular clubs, she added.
She was voted to serve as co-president of the Science Olympiad team at the school her junior and senior years under teacher Cheri Reznicek. After the COVID-19 concerns resulted in the competitions being staged virtually her sophomore and junior years, organizers were able to hold in-person regionals in Chattanooga, where Bearden finished second. The team then came in a respectable eighth statewide.
“From a personal perspective, I feel like we have really grown as a team and community,” she said of the experience and team recognition they received.
Her other main extracurricular activity, serving as co-president of the Environmental Club with Stephanie Cho under teacher Tonya Henke, brought attention to some smaller creatures of the world. A project included some monarch way station construction featuring milkweed plants to allow safe places for monarchs to reproduce successive generations in the summer. The students were able to do that in part with a $500 grant.
Hartono plans to take her knowledge and skills next year to Vanderbilt in Nashville, where she wants to study chemical engineering and eventually pursue research work as a career. She has also already done some studying at the University of Tennessee when she participated in the Governor’s School for the Sciences and Engineering the previous two summers.
“It was a big part of my life,” she said of UT. “There was a welcoming environment.”
While her focus was on STEM courses during high school, she also found time to learn a little history involuntarily by learning to adjust to the COVID-19 pandemic that was also a big part of her four years at Bearden, she added.
“It is definitely something that will be in the history books,” she concluded.
BEARDEN
West High duo, schoolmates for years, graduate at the top
John Shearer, Shopper News
Oliver Hemmelgarn and Ayaz Sultan have always been in school together as classmates at Sequoyah Elementary, Bearden Middle, and West High School, except for one year when Hemmelgarn’s family lived in Kansas.
And they are going out together one last time, too, as West co-valedictorians.
They learned the news several weeks ago when Ben Schaefer was also announced as the salutatorian, and both shared the feeling of slight surprise.
“I knew I had really good grades, but it was up in the air because nobody was telling us,” said Hemmelgarn with a laugh recently from the office of West college counselor Sarah Bast.
Added Sultan, “I didn’t think it was completely ridiculous (to be selected), but I was pleasantly surprised.”
They both feel they were aided by the fact that classes in the school’s International Baccalaureate program are weighted heavily. The two, who had sat together this year in a European history class, love the fact West has an IB program and that they pretty much enjoy all their classes.
Hemmelgarn’s favorite class was organic chemistry under Lindsay Bell, including a unit on the effect of medicinal and pharmaceutical treatments on the body.
Sultan has enjoyed the special IB class titled Theory of Knowledge as well as English under Arielle Street. “She knows how to lead and direct a discussion,” he said.
They both admit that while certain aspects of accumulating knowledge come somewhat easily to them, they still have to study. But they differ in that the night before an important test, Hemmelgarn is an admitted crammer, while Sultan is most focused on getting a good night’s sleep. They both sometimes put together notes for a test, they added.
Outside the classroom, they are members of the school’s Environmental Club and have worked together doing a summer project near the Third Creek Greenway by the school combating invasive plants and weeds.
In sports, they have their own interests. Hemmelgarn is a member of the lacrosse club at the school, while Sultan is a goalkeeper on the Rebel soccer team.
Hemmelgarn has received an appointment to the Air Force Academy, but a lacrosse injury from a cleat to his foot has slowed him down physically. At the time of the interview, he was not sure if he would be able to go through this summer’s introductory basic training.
He has looked at the alternative of attending UT for a year or maybe longer and studying environmental engineering, with hopes of one day leading a firm or working at a national park.
If he can follow through with going to the Air Force Academy, that would be a great option, too, he thinks. “The structure would be really good for me,” he said, adding that he also has family living near the Colorado school. “There are awesome opportunities like jumping out of planes. And they have a mountain biking club.”
Sultan plans to go to Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business and study public policy analysis, with possible dreams of working for the United Nations. And while there, he plans to follow the Hoosier basketball program, about which students are known to be passionate. “I’m excited about going to a couple of games,” he said with a smile.
The two said they have enjoyed being West sports fans as well, including following the Rebel football team’s accomplishments in winning a state championship. Hemmelgarn could see fellow West graduate and football player John Sartelle at Air Force, as the latter has signed to play football for the Falcons.
They have both also enjoyed being involved in the school’s IB program, with Hemmelgarn saying the school has some awesome teachers committed to teaching students and interacting with them. The available labs and resources also contribute to its popularity.
While they are both honored to be valedictorians − not taking the distinction too seriously and knowing they will be judged more by their future careers − they feel the past few years at West have been integral in their lives.
“West High School has given me a unique opportunity to create a community,” said Sultan.
OPINION
Fearing those silent milestones
Leslie Snow, Shopper News
I don’t think my mother remembers the day, but I still think about it sometimes. It was at least 10 years ago, before my parents moved to Knoxville, before dad’s dementia was noticeable, before my mom’s melanoma resurfaced and required surgery.
My folks were in town for a visit, and I wanted to show them the pretty view along a trail. It was a serene spot where the water from Lake Loudon met the path in a quiet cove. I knew they would love it, so I suggested a short afternoon hike.
I parked my car at the trailhead and started walking, pointing out wildflowers and ferns along the way. But when I turned around to show them a bright red mushroom sprouting in the soil, I realized they had fallen behind. They couldn’t keep up with me.
I returned to them quickly, making a joke about being a fast walker, and I noticed they were holding hands for support. They were both out of breath and sweating. They seemed frail. I looked at the trail I had described as “easy” and realized, with a wave of sadness, that my parents weren’t able to hike anymore.
I led them back to the car, saying something about running out of time, and we never discussed it. But later, I shed some tears over their loss. I wondered if they had recognized the moment when they were hiking for the last time. I wondered if they acknowledged it or if it was one of those silent milestones that passed without either of them noticing.
I thought about that hard day last week when I got the invitation to Clara’s roller-skating birthday party. My mom frowned when she read the details. “You’re not as young as you used to be,” she cautioned. “You may have roller-skated when you were little, but it’s been a long time. You could get hurt.”
The day of the party, I heard her voice in my head. I thought about the risks of falling and counted all my fragile body parts, the ones that ache each morning and beg for ibuprofen and a good stretch. Then I brushed my worries aside and marched to the counter to rent a pair of tan skates, just like the ones I used to wear every Saturday during “teen skate.”
I’m not ready for any “last times.” I’m not ready to be content sitting and watching while other people are doing. I want to be a full participant in every activity for as long as I can. Even if it’s hard. Even if I’m a little sore the next day. Even if I fall.
I’m afraid of those silent milestones, the ones that pass when we’re not looking. They haunt me. I’m afraid of all the things that might slip away unnoticed. I’m afraid I’ll pass on some adventure thinking, “I’ll just do it the next time.” But what if the next time never comes? Or what if it comes and it’s too late? I’m not ready for any of that. Not yet.
It turns out I’m not the skilled roller skater I used to be at 14. I had to hold on to the wall for the first few trips around the rink, but then I got it. I wasn’t fast or graceful, or even steady, but I did it. I got to roller-skate with my granddaughter on her 5th birthday. I got to be a participant instead of an observer.
I felt free and happy that day. And I felt young.
Leslie Snow may be reached at snow column@aol.com.
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