A young family, quite new to my country and to the activity of roller-skating, was trying for the first time to learn to skate. It was one fall after another, accompanied by much laughter—laughter that eventually gave way to frustration. I finally asked the young man trying the hardest if I could help.
Gratefully accepting, he quickly discovered that he could not fall because of our double wristlock. This lessened his fear. Learning to look up, not down, to move smoothly first one foot, then the other, he soon was able to trust the support of my grip, exclaiming excitedly, "I'm getting the feel of it!"
In a short time the fledgling skater was moving freely and joyously, as my wife and I proceeded to teach the others. He had reached the breakthrough point where he could stand on his own two feet and then respond by encouraging his siblings to do likewise.
