June of last year I had the opportunity to be a part of a pioneer hand cart trek re-enactment. My wife and I were asked to be a "Ma" and "Pa" for a group of teenagers for a 3 day and 2 night trek in the desert east of Tucson Arizona. We said yes, and although Ma was a bit apprehensive, I was excited.
There is a bit of history that precedes the trek. Ma and I met while in college. We were part of a ballroom dance performing group. Ma was serious about ballroom dance, and consequently she was very good. I was there mostly for the girls. I tell boys every time the opportunity arises that girls dig boys who can dance, I also tell them that girls who are dancers are good looking, both true.
So we started dancing together in class and we competed a little too. Dance was our activity, hobby, interest, etc. We did it together, and enjoyed it, then we got married and didn't dance so much anymore. God had different plans for us, namely to have kids instead of pursuing all that we could have pursued in ballroom dance. We have 5 kids now and have had 5 kids for the past 5 years.Ma still teaches dance, but I have had to back way off of it, largely because my temperament doesn't do well with my own children in dance classes. They are so difficult. I wonder where they get it?
Anyway, somewhere along the line I picked up cycling as a hobby, and rode hundreds of miles with my 5 kids a few years ago. I also picked up running as a hobby and have run hundreds of miles albeit by myself, with out kids. Both of these hobbies were also without my wife.
There was a time a couple of years ago that I really wanted Ma to participate with me in some small way while doing these hobbies, but she pretty much hates being uncomfortable, which rules out cycling and running. I was a bit bummed out because I know there are women out there who do things like cycling and running and enjoy it. It turned into this struggle where I felt like I was doing a lot for her hobby and she didn't want to do anything with me. It was a hobby-battle and the casualty was ballroom dance. I started to loathe it.
To quote George Michael "I'm never gonna dance again, guilty feet have got no rhythm." That is pretty much what's been going on the past couple of years. I wished she would participate in my hobbies, and she wished I would teach dance with her. Truthfully I do still teach with her, but I am far less helpful and invested compared to how I was before the hobby-battle.
So like I said, Ma really doesn't like to be uncomfortable or dirty, so when they asked us on this trek I was excited. It was funny because in the training meetings they promised physical hardship, and I couldn't wait. I was so excited that my wife would have to participate I was giddy!
I understand why Ma doesn't like to be uncomfortable. It's because she is normal, and that really is fine. But for some reason, I like to be uncomfortable. I signed up for 3 marathons in the first 4 months of next year. Running hurts, but I like it. When we got a dog last year for my second eldest son I thought, "Sweet, a running buddy!" We got a large dog that can go miles and miles without getting tired. Time has healed the hobby-battle wounds and I am at peace with Ma hating running. I can still do it with the dog, and besides, she did the Trek, which is what I was supposed to be writing about.
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