In Brownie Girl Scouting, the badges are called try-its. The idea is that you don’t have to succeed at whatever you attempt for the badge; you just have to give all the requirements an honest try. I think the principle is a good one: that you want to get exposed to all sorts of things as a Brownie, but that it’s okay if you’re not brilliant at them all. You don’t have to love everything, you just have to try it; and maybe a few things will spark a deeper interest.
I found myself thinking about this today when I dropped in on my gym’s bellydancing class. I wanted to give it a try, and was glad I did; I liked it okay, but didn’t feel any deep consuming passion; and I may or may not go back to another class, but don’t feel like I need to.
It occurs to me that, after eight years as a Scout leader, it may be time to make time in my life for my try-its. To give myself permission to be a dabbler for a while, sampling this and that, but not taking on another consuming passion for a while. (Aside from the writing thing, which is as consuming as it gets.)
So suggest a thing you think it might be fun for me and others reading here to turn into try-its. Something that can be sampled in an evening or a day or a weekend. Bonus points for anything physical or outdoors (because writers have sedentary careers), but really, anything at all.
Or, tell me about something that you’re thinking of giving a try.