On January 11th, 1976, Dorothy Hamill won 3rd in the U.S. National Figure Skating Championship. I don’t know about you, but growing up in the early 80s if figure skating was on TV, I was watching it. I was mesmerized by their ability to jump into the air above the ice and just hang there before doing a beautiful triple turn and landing perfectly, the blade of their skate guiding them effortlessly along the ice. On and on they skated around the ice doing amazing foot tricks, jumps, and for a few, an occasional backwards flip.
I wanted to be just like them and glide along the ice like there was nothing to it. Their strength, balance, and grace helped to hide the cold, strenuous work they put into every move they made while skating across the ice. I’ve only been ice skating once or twice. I was scared both times. The thought of all of me being held up by thin blades made me ever cautious about my balance. Seeing the ice up close and personal made me doubly aware of much it would hurt if I fell. The grace of the figure skater I always wanted vanished with the harsh reality of what it took just to stay upright!
In my research for events that took place fifty years ago, I discovered that author Agatha Christi passed away on January 12th, 1976. Wow! What a brilliant writer she was!! She had a way of keeping you guessing about the true suspect. Just when you thought you knew who had done it, she threw a curve ball you couldn’t catch. I don’t know that I will ever experience the success she did. I don’t need to. I just want to hone my craft as she did and spin stories that keep people intrigued and wanting more. May I be as clever as she was!
