Balance in Life

I have been trying to think of the best way to compose this blog since last Friday and I still have no plan. I figured just start writing and go from there. The issue is what I want to say is very personal and something I feel very strongly about. Most of you probably know that I don’t talk about my personal life or feelings very much (or at all) and this sometimes can become a problem. Sometimes it’s better to express what you are feeling as a way to deal with it. Anyway, I will tell you the story of what inspired this blog. Last Friday I missed Black Belt class to go to a concert with my wife. That may not sound like a bad thing and it wasn’t because it was a lot of fun. The problem came from the guilt I felt about not going to class. As many of you are aware, I try to be at the Kwoon as often as possible whether that is to teach, help another instructor or because I can make it to an extra class here and there. You may ask why the guilt as it was my class that I was missing but that class is where I feel helps me prepare to better instruct other students. It felt a little selfish about doing this as the students that I instruct should get quality instruction and it is my responsibility to ensure that I am able to give that to them. I don’t know if anyone understands what I’m saying but that’s how I felt. There is a good side to this story and that is that I had a wonderful night out with my wife. Sifu Brinker always says you should not sacrifice family for Kung Fu. While I was preparing for my Black Belt grading, my family is what enabled me to do it. The support that I received was critical to my success. What I am trying to say is life comes down to choices and sometimes there will be conflicts. What you need to do is decide what is right for you and the people around you. Some things will have to be sacrificed in order for others to happen but ensure that you take care of your family and your Kung Fu family. Hopefully some of you understand what I was trying to say here.

I Ho Chuan? Definately!

I have put my name in to be a part of next years I Ho Chuan team. The question that comes to mind in most people that I have told is WHY? It is not a grading year for you so why woul d you apply to be a member? My first experience in the current format of the I Ho Chuan was as a member of the UBBT in my grading year. The UBBT supplied me with the tools I neede to successfully obtain my black belt. I decided to take a hiatus from the I Ho Chuan, to recover and focus on other aspects in my life but it had the opposite affect. I have had an almost sense of loss in the past year, wandering around trying to find my place within the Silent River family. I have been helping out and attending almost as much as I did before, but there has been no direction or goal that I have been trying to achieve. I believe the I Ho Chuan does exactly what it is designed to do personnaly, it allows you to stay connected with your training mates and will keep you engaged in your Kung Fu. I understand that priority is given to those who are in a grading year so if I am not part of the team, I am okay with that. Why you may ask considering how much I claim it woulkd benefit me? I shall explain. Reflecting back on my UBBT experience, made me realize that I accomplished those things because of who I am as a person and from the support of my teammates, not because someone said I had to. The UBBT gave me the tools to succeed then and now I just have to continue to use those tools. If I am not an official member of the team, I shall consider myself an unofficial member and will still complete all the requirements. The I Ho Chuan is meant to inspire the school and to get the students to want to be part of that group. That first step can be completed simply by making a commitment to yourself.

No time.

Kwoon renovations are set to start next week and I feel like I'm letting the school down this year. Let me explain. I was one of those people who looked at the renovations as something I didn't need to take Parton. How would this help my Kung Fu? I didn't see a purpose to it or a need to participate. Once I became more involved with the Kwoon (through lion dancing), the topic of renos came up. Since I had tiled before,I volunteered to tile the Kwoon. That was two years ago. Last year was another major renovation followed by the expansion in the spring. Why would input some much effort into something I didn't even take part in for some many years? Because it has hada huge impact on my training. By putting some blood and sweat into the place where you learn, you feel more comfortable there. Now the problem. This year I am notable to committ as much time as I have over the last two years. There is a lot of work that needs to be completed this year and I don't know if it will be completed. I don't mean to say that the other people who volunteer are not just as crucial to the success of the renovations because they are more important. Without them, nothing would be completed. I feel responsible because the scope of work and the amount of work is something that I said could be done. That is where the feeling of guilt is coming in. Hopefully some of you reading this understand where I am coming from and the point of this rambling. The work has defined me as a martial artist and I think improved me as a person.

Where have I Gone?

That is an interesting question and one I don't have the answer to. Since I completed my first UBBT, I have not blogged. Why not is the question I should have been asking myself. I also think my peers should have been asking me as well. Blogging helped me get through a lot of stressful situations. It is a resource that I have not been utilizing lately and really wish I would have. Your blog is a way to connect with your peers and to keep people informed on what is happening with you. I am writing this down as a reminder to myself so if I ever forget to or am not inspired to blog, I can read this post to know why I should