I slithered out of the way just in time. A sixteen year old, who was a black sash before I even started kung fu, almost ran me into a mirror tonight by barreling against me with his head. But when the buzzer sounded two minutes later, he was the one staggering for balance to keep from hitting the floor.
My middle toe feels like I broke it on his elbow, and my ribs are grateful he was three inches too far from me when he began his sidekick. I felt the impact but withstood it with a flinch. The extra three inches would have put my stomach in my throat and my knees on the carpet.
This is one of those nights that I can’t believe I’m forty-five years old, severely arthritic and missing cartilage in both of my knees. If only I could move as fast and feel as good with the half dozen other daily challenges that keep the adrenaline pumping! But we really can’t have it all…. 🙂
My son, on the other hand, can have it all, it seems. While enjoying his Spanish immersion program in his month away from home, his martial arts skills got him adopted by the Chinese immersion folks. Here he is, front and center, at their world expo in the final weekend of the program (the one on the right). It’ll be good to have him back home and in Sanshou – though his sidekicks cause more than a flinch!
Middle-Aged Martial Arts Mom 