I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror, and I cringe the way I do when I hear myself speaking French: I know how that verb is supposed to sound, how this step is supposed to look, and I’m momentarily surprised to see that I no longer have the ability to do it. I feel self-conscious when the teacher corrects me—Why are you wasting your time? I want to ask. And then I feel defensive: I know I’m doing it wrong.
