Training for Gold

                  So here she is with a football. 

I’m sorry that this post is rather later in the day than usual. I was out in the garden watching my puppy Flossie (a golden doodle) training for the Golden Lionesses when I thought ‘What a good subject that would be for a blog, when’s my next MTW one? Oh no, it’s the 15th today!’

She only started playing with the football over the last two days. But in that time I have noticed that her skills in dribbling the ball have greatly increased. It’s a bit too late to video her with the ball now, I tried, but because she moves so fast I can’t keep up.

So why is this relevant here? Over my long life I have trained many people in many different skills - how to relax, how to overcome negative thoughts, how to be a clinical psychologist, how to begin to write, how to spell, how to read the Bible, how to crochet, how to sew, how to drive (that was scary - one of  my sons drove too fast from the day he knew how to use an accelerator), how to iron, how to cook, even how to thread a needle. Too many things to write down here. In nearly every instance, I’ve started with fun and in virtually everything I’ve taught people there has been at least one person who has taken off with the skill and excelled. Often achieving far more than I ever could.

I can no longer thread a needle, or sew and my crochet skills seem to have left me. My eldest daughter and a granddaughter excel in these spheres.Trainee clinical psychologists have become famous names in their field of expertise, my son is a brilliant driver, my children are better cooks than I will ever be. Writers I have helped have embraced writing, found outlets for their skill and are teaching others. They are on their way to producing international bestsellers.

But isn’t that wonderful? We can start with a small beginning, sharing something we love doing, making it fun and watching people build on their skills. And, to put it another way, we can share our skills, especially in writing, and rejoice with them when we watch their success over the following years.

I praise God that the small beginnings I have been able to provide has achieved great things, and can’t wait to do another writing workshop to see this happening 

Zechariah 4:10. Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin

Annie Try has written five novels, her latest one, written mostly for young adults was launched last week. The Dangerous Dance of Emma JJ is published by Kevin Mayhew Publishers.