It’s been a year since my knees have ached this much on a Sunday night. That’s how rare it is these days for me to feel compelled to practice on the one day of the week that the school isn’t open. Even when I’ve had the itch on the day of rest not to do so, I’ve kept practice time to a minimum. But today, the need to conquer the physics and execute to my satisfaction was powerful. It became even stronger when the answer of how best to execute finally made itself clear. And so I ran with it.
I still didn’t have what I wanted from my body by the time my brain told me to save my knees for Monday’s beginner class and my long staff work. But I was thrilled nevertheless, because I’d literally figured out the answer to the bane of my martial arts existence. I deconstructed a sequence down to minute detail (e.g., which way are my toes pointing when my hand is here?), and I found the answer I’d been looking for since the fourth knee operation. This epiphany led to the even greater realization of the day.
Kung fu has changed the way I think. It long ago changed what I think about and when, but it’s now unavoidably clear that it’s messing with the how part of operations, as well. My martial arts madness had made me, a previous monument to impatience, willing to break something down piece by piece, to determine how to get my mind, body and spirit on the same page at the same time.
Every time I think this love of mine can’t get any better, I get a new box of chocolates. I don’t see a break-up happening any time soon! 🙂
Middle-Aged Martial Arts Mom 