On Top of the World

Tonight my work training schedule took my team to a team building camp. The bonding exercises the camp directors make us do are rather cheesy, but somewhat relevant. Outdoor time together=team building, no matter the agenda. We had the Sherpa walk, the low ropes course, the sequential tarp game, the zoom puzzle, etc. I like all of the silly exercises--all except for the dreaded human puzzle they like to call "traffic jam." I hate that one.

This year the camp directors threw in a special new obstacle: the world ball. It's a giant ball, probably 8 feet tall, and your objective is to kneel on top of it and roll it across a field toward a goal. Your team mates get to be your spotters and every member of the team takes their turn trying to maneuver the globe to the goal line.

I was so excited for my turn. I felt like I was on the TV show "Wipe out," thought there was no wall of punching fists throwing jabs at my chin. I climbed aboard the big bouncy ball, and to my surprise, I was really good at it. Maybe even the best in the group. I was so proud of myself. Sometimes it's hard for me not to feel old while I'm at training: old and odd--especially when the eighteen year old first year RAs ask me if I'm an AREC (a supervisor), but I'm not. My response is usually something like, "Nope, but I'm old enough to be one." Because, I am. Admitting it usually makes me feel a little silly, but not this afternoon. As I boarded the big bouncy world ball and successfully crawled it over 20 feet without falling off, I felt pretty good about myself--maybe even proud that this 'ol mama still has a few sweet tricks up here sleeve.