Of all the reasons...

Of all the reasons I am proud of Ottawacker Jr., this is right up among them: he is hopeless at skating. 

Let me explain a bit. He is one of those irritating kids to whom everything comes easy. He is excellent at soccer, runs like the wind, picks up languages in a flash, has no problems speaking at an assembly of parents and pupils, is kind and considerate, loves animals, etc. etc. etc. All of it is second nature to him. 

Skating, however, isn't. But, despite the new discovery that some things are not easy, he hasn't given up. He must have fallen a hundred times today, landing on his arse, his face, his shoulder, his back... but a hundred times he picked himself up and tried it again. I was so impressed with that. As someone who has gradually weaned himself off things that are not easy, it was good for me to see the sheer commitment and concentration he brought to a single 45-minute session of skating. 

Already, he is the teacher.