Juggling on the Green

  Every Friday afternoon, weather permitting, there will usually be three to ten jugglers on the College green at Ohio University.  This has always been a standard part of my week, and I don't think much of it anymore.  We all juggle and chat, enjoying the sunshine.  There are often hula-hoopers who will join us and sometimes we will get distracted by someone setting up a slackline (a rope strung between two trees and pulled fairly tight, like a loose tightrope).  This Friday was a great meeting.  It was very nice out and we had enough people that we could juggle four person passing patterns. 
  There was an attempt to involve younger children; my half-brother was trying to walk through the four person passing pattern but ended up just crawling underneath the flying clubs.  My younger half-sister didn't really enjoy the juggling, but she was able to pick up quite a bit from the hoopers.  It seems that everyone who picks up a skill like this really enjoys passing it on and sharing their knowledge. 
  My dad made a really interesting comment at one point.  He pointed out how strange it was that everyone was watching us.  Not always sitting down and staring at us, but more often they would be watching as they walked by.  If we looked at them they would always whip their heads back forward and keep walking.  I guess I've gotten to the point where I don't pay attention to people anymore.  Not to sound mean, and if someone approaches me and wants to learn to juggle I will always offer them my help, but they don't matter to me anymore.  Worrying about people watching you, and what they will think, is a sure-fire way to keep yourself from practicing.  I got over that a while ago, but my dad's comment did make me remember that I've really retreated into myself when it comes to juggling. 

My real goal for this project then is to re-connect with not only a wider community of jugglers but with everyone and really open myself up to that interaction between a juggler and a person.  I'll let you know what I find.