The feeling when you get a...

Strike.

That feeling that comes over you when you get ready to throw your first ball down the bowling lane…excitement, fear, embarrassment…its like everyone is watching. We are all scared that we are going to strike out. Its normal. That is why when we are kids adults put bumpers on the lane for us. No matter how badly we bowl they set us up for success and the ball will not be rolling down the gutter. As we grow older there are no more bumpers. The chance of rolling a gutter ball becomes greater. And even more metaphorically, the more we ‘roll the ball’ or ‘take the chances’ the higher the probability that we throw a gutter ball or a strike. So… fear striking out…

Keep rolling the ball, you will eventually hit a strike, it’s all about perseverance.

When bowling the ball down the lane… what pin is it going to hit? We tend to always focus on the front top pin… what about all the pins surrounding it, especially the ones in the back. I look at the ball like a metaphor for emotion. The pins are the people, places and things that we explode on… the good, the bad, and the ugly. It’s easy to hit the front pin… but we have to dig deeper or roll the ball harder to hit the pins in the back.

What is great about the relationship between the bowling ball and its pins? The pins get right back up, they stand up straight and patiently waiting for the next ball to come plunging down the lane… and the ball, it keeps on rolling embracing failure or success.

Interaction, working together and continuing to ROLL the ball down the lane; into the pins (whether we are afraid of striking out or not), into the front pin.

Hit all ten pins and raise your hands up and cheer!