Picking Up The Spares Nothing can be more discouraging than looking down the Lane and seeing a Spare. While it is true that we strive for a Strike whenever we roll the Ball, it is wrong to hold ourselves to an impossibly high standard. Our Spares can also tell us much about our inner nature. They are like a snapshot of the influences that are working in our lives at the moment. Do the same Spares keep appearing? Then these are obstacles that you must confront and overcome. Learning to change our approach and adapt the course of the Ball to target whatever Spares arise develops focus, depth, and a mind free of the encumberments of too much self. Spares give us an opportunity to grow. One mistake we make in trying to pick up Spares is focusing on the Pins instead of the space between them. We see only the problem and not the entire situation. Sometimes we must target the Ball into the "negative space" for our shot to be successful. By seeing clearly how the toppling of one Pin affects another, we can make the Pins work for us. Another mistake is to use too much force. Because Spares make us angry or disappointed, we can let our emotions interfere with the execution of our shot. Too much force is just as bad as too little; the Ball rolls through the Pins with less cause and effect. We've all seen the toddler who rolls the Ball down the Lane with the old "squat and shove" technique, and ends up with a slow-motion Strike. We would do well to take a lesson from this example. Spares are the whetstone upon which we sharpen our talents. They are the darkness which makes us appreciate the light. Consider them for the gift they are.

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