Before I start, I want to give a little bit of background. I've been skating since I was about four years old. I basically lived and breathed skating. However, the past few years and starting college, it's been difficult to balance my life with skating.
A few weeks ago, I decided to go home for a little bit to go watch the annual Fox 8 Christmas symphony show that is held around Christmas at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex. This show has been going on for over thirty years and for a long time, my skating club has been part of the show for as long as I can remember. For about ten of those years, I was part of the symphony show, expect this year. Walking through that building brought a lot of memories and it made me want to lace up my skates and go there to perform. Finding seats was also a new experience because I always had the backstage view and I always had seats reserved for my family but this year was completely different. I'm not going to lie but the whole show, I was bored waiting to watch the skating. The same music played every year, the same arrogance of the Greensboro Symphony, and the same overshadowing of skating. New things here and there but it hasn't changed besides the fact that I wasn't out on the ice, skating. After the show, I got to see old and new friends and the first thing that everyone asked me when they saw me was, "Is it weird not skating in the show this year?". My answer was the same for everyone, "Yes, I missed skating in the show so much this year".
However, it wasn't the fact that I just missed skating in the show. It was the fact that I missed the little moments that made up this time of the year. This time of the year is what added even more excitement in my life and it made me feel even more blessed about having skating around. During this time, major skating competitions called regionals and sectionals have just wrapped up and nationals follow next year. Winding down from the intense competition season starts the preparations of Christmas shows. Waking up at five o'clock in the morning to learn maybe two or three different skating routines and getting yelled at if the routines aren't perfect after rehearsing for hours. Having spirit week to make every practice less unbearable and freezing cold. Trying to choreograph your own program for the rink Christmas show. Doing a massive Secret Santa and going on Target/Starbucks adventures with your friends. Exploring the Greensboro Coliseum when it's empty, being a VIP for a day and having free food. All of these little moments are what brings everyone even closer like family and all of the hard work makes the show a success in the end.
Before leaving the show, I was asked a question, "Are you going to do the show next year?". The only words that came out of my mouth were, "Maybe, we'll see."
