Just recently, I returned to bowling, following the injury to my knee last year. As you might expect, I experienced some pain, my timing was off and I noticed a severe reduction in my ball speed. As might also be predicted, I had forgotten most of my marks and spares became quite an adventure. My teammates were very supportive, but I was becoming disappointed and discouraged.
Somewhere in the middle of my second game, with our team down by quite a bit and my score heading south rapidly, I recalled the words of my high school bowling coach,who always used to remind us that “Most of the problems you are having with your game can be solved by simply slowing down.” I took his advice to heart and while I wish I could say that I immediately improved, I did begin to make my spares and slowly, ever so slowly, my game started to return.
Now, fully two months since that miserable beginning, I have once again started to achieve some success on the lanes. I have returned to being accurate on my spares and I have even strung together a few strikes. My average continues to improve every week. While I will most likely never have the ball speed I enjoyed prior to the accident, I have discovered new angles and releases and have begun my transition to what my game has now become. I have accepted the changes and can once again look toward an average north of 200. My coach, once again, was right on the mark, no pun intended.
Looking back on his advice and with a nod toward my advancing age, I believe his advice also applies to life. How many of life’s problems could be solved, or at least diminished by simply taking more time? Slowing down to think, to pause, to reflect and more importantly to rest, could reap dividends down the road. What if we even slowed down before sending that text, email or tweet? How many issues and problems could be avoided?
Slowing down also gives us the gift of reflection. While I have just started to take my coach’s advice to heart, I have already noticed how silent the early morning really is. I have witnessed the stars,the planets and all phases of the moon on a crisp early autumn morning. I have heard the bushes sway and have witnessed rabbits and squirrels running for their breakfasts. I have witnessed a tiny sparrow dart into her nest in the bushes behind our house and have seen a red fox lope confidently across the street during my early morning walk. Three months ago, I never knew any of those creatures even roamed the early morning hours of our complex.
When I started to slow down, I discovered something else. I no longer felt as stressed as I have in the past. My frantic pace seems to have collected an entire collection of worries, deadlines, issues and problems. Slowing down has, of course, not solved all those troubles, but it certainly has allowed me time to reflect and think of solutions. I have even discovered that most of those problems seem to fall away when I take the time to really ponder how to solve them.
I have no illusions that slowing down will make me a professional bowler or solve every problem I encounter along the way. What I can expect,however, is that I will enjoy the trip along the way and notice that the scenery is really pretty amazing along the road of life.
My coach was a wise and prophetic man. I now wonder if his advice was intended to help with my bowling game or if he really had learned what I just recently discovered and was trying to teach us all a lesson on life. I really should have paid more attention back then in my high school years. I will not make that mistake again.From now on, I will listen more intently, experience life more fully and never again ignore what is happening all around me. I feel renewed and ready for every challenge, and who knows, that perfect series may still be out there.