Not Going To Lose My Focus by Kathleen McAnear Smith
Not Going To Lose My Focus Sarasota County, Florida where I used to live, is one of the homes of the American Circus. In our town, as you cross the bridge on to Venice Island you might be a little distracted by seeing a teenager suddenly flip through the air off a trapeze. Right there, on the left as you wait for the drawbridge bar to lift, you can catch a glimpse of a group of high schoolers taking a physical education class in circus skills. Nik Wallenda is from a long, long line of circus performers who came to America from Europe, and he lives with his family in Sarasota. Sarasota is the main town in Sarasota County and as it’s just up the road from our town, my walking partner (totally feet on the ground for our regular walk around the lake) decided to go and watch Nik prepare for Niagara. I couldn’t bare it. I looked forward to hearing about it on our walk the next day. “You should have seen it,” said my friend, “Practice was not high up at all. And did you know that N...