In my world the deciding factor for whether I participate in an activity or not sometimes comes down to my hand.  If the activity will draw attention to my right hand, changes are I’m going to pass.

There is a decision before me that falls into this category, and it reminds me of a decision a few years ago in which I said no.

A few years ago I was contemplating becoming a PAL at my church.  A PAL is an adult lady who is paired up with a girl through one of our kids programs.  A few times a year the PAL is expected to come to the Wednesday night event for a special PAL-Gal activity.

I thought it might be fun.  I knew they had more girls than PAL’s so another volunteer would be quite welcome.  I was leaning towards participating…until.  Until I learned that one of the PAL-Gal activities would be a Spa-night where the PAL and gal take turns giving each other manicures.

In an instant I knew that I would not be volunteering.

Yeah right.  Like I was going to sign up for an event in which my hand would be the topic on the table with a middle school girl, expecting her to not have some negative reaction.  Flashbacks came to mind of other embarrassing events where my hand caused surprise.  I don’t like being the center of attention.  I certainly don’t like my hand being the center of attention.  And I don’t like the awkwardness when someone doesn’t know a polite way to respond.

I am faced with another such decision, in which my hand may very well be the deciding factor.

I homeschool my four kids and we use a program called Classical Conversations.  It’s a wonderful curriculum that we have been doing for the past 3 years at home.  This coming fall I plan to sign up my children to participate in the once a week community where the kids come together to learn the material, taught by a tutor — a mom or dad that leads the class.

My good friend is the coordinator for our local campus and has asked me to be a tutor.  I’d get paid for doing so, which would cut down the cost quite a bit, so it is indeed tempting, but…

But part of the teaching includes hand motions that go with the various facts the children learn and memorize.  HAND MOTIONS.  Motions with my hand, in front of the class, with the goal of teaching them the motions.

My kids already know a bunch of the hand motions because we socialize quite a bit of time with other Classical Conversation families anyway.  As I watch my 8-year-old show me the hand motions for various history sentences my mind ponders the scene of me standing in front of 6-7 elementary ages kids, unable to properly demonstrate the hand motions.  My hand would be the center of attention.

I haven’t yet made a definitive decision on this, and I know my friend, the coordinator, has no idea this is playing around in my mind as I ponder the position.  I’ll let you know when I do make the call, but until then, another reminder that P.S. effects my life, every day.