Left Handed Win

Remembering one more highlight of last week's win:

It was the last shot of the match,
I left myself long and awkward on the 8-ball,
but it plays ok as a left handed shot.
I hesitated, went for the bridge,
and El Maestro yells out
"Shoot it left handed".

He sure pushes me.
It was only 6 months ago (exactly)
that I first shot a ball left handed in a match.
Now he wants me to shoot lefty
for the game/match ball...

I have this nice shutout going,
and I do not want to look stupid
by missing a shot left handed.
But I must be Fearless.
I shot it lefty.
And it went in.

---

Whatever you can do, or dream you can, Begin it.
For Boldness has Genius, Power and Magic in it.
Begin it Now!

(Goethe)

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It's Alive!

Many times in our practice sessions,
when the occasion called for it,
El Maestro would encourage me to use my left hand,
instead of a bridge,
but every time I would pass on that,
explaining that my left hand was
completely useless, unfeeling, inert, uncoordinated.

And besides...
(my father, a wise man in such matters,
says that a person's real reason
always comes after "...and besides...")
I would be mighty embarrassed
to miss a feeble lefthanded poke.

The Irish have this saying:
"Tis better the devil you know,
than the devil you don't know."

I prefer to use a bridge,
than to expand my skills?
Doesn't make sense does it?
For 3 years I never even tried.

But a few months ago,
in the privacy of my solo practice,
I actually tried a left handed shot,
and it went in.
Of course it was a very straight, short shot.
And it felt really strange.
But it went in.

Over some weeks,
I found a new freedom from the bridge
and learned to focus and trust my left hand.

About a month ago,
in a match with El Maestro,
and in a public pool hall,
for all the world to see,
I took a left handed shot,
made it,
and got position.

Now, don't get me wrong,
there is still much work that I can do
to get a natural, fluid stroke with the left.

But I am On The Path...

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