A Good Week
Happy sunday to everyone. and a happy fathers day to the dads out there. You know, trying to write this blog with need for speed blaring in the background is really kind of tough. But all its all good. My oldest hasn't left my side all day thus far. Friday I was mowing the lawn and the youngest was following me a round pushing his big dump truck. It sure is a nice feeling. This last week has been really good, man I tell you what. T-ball wrapped up on Thursday night, and it was a real good time. I am pretty lucky to have had the opportunity to work with those kidos. We decided to have a kid versus parents game and that was awesome. The kids were fired up play their folks. I remember those games a s a kid and it was a lot of fun to play dad at hockey. Nice to be on the other side of things. It was sweet how it worked out. Each parent tried to hit it to their child so their kid could throw in the out at first. Really neat how that worked out. I know my boy was pumped to get me out at first. Because of this experience, I threw my name in the hat as a coach for next year. I mean, why not? This year the league asked if I could because no one else could. Absolutely I said. I had no idea of what I was walking into. Next year, I hope to take away worry of there being enough coaches. Not a huge time commitment, but it is a huge personal commitment. Trying to improvise so all kids get to try all positions, but trying to keep others engaged in the practice. Everything worked out beautifully. Good times for everyone.
Kung fu was awesome again this week. Lots of great numbers this week. It is always exciting when adding up numbers and some hit 1100 range. Right now, life is firing on all cylinders. Everything is working great. Lots of balance, and therefore time is so much easier to divvy up. I have another rough draft of what my day is supposed to look like, but, I don't know what life has in store for me, so it is a rough draft. I am finding that, slowly I am getting faster at adapting to the change in my life, and therefore my numbers, are staying much more consistent. And I have been working hard these last few weeks, that's the meat and potatoes of it there. Working to make time for what matters.
On Friday night, I picked up the broadsword for boot camp. I get home and started to play with the sword. I did a few moves from stick form, and then I did the entire stick form but with sword. There were a few places I need to change a movement or two. But overall, the weapon change was very smooth. Man alive I love building and practicing forms. It blew me away at how viable the stick truly is. Yesterday sifu again told me that the stick is the father of all weapons. I have heard this I do not know how many times, but until I experienced it, I could not understand it. Awesome. Now, I want to continue on my stick form, but also build a sword form. Here, is where I need to realise something. That too much of a good thing can be bad as well. If I overwhelm myself by making up expectations that do not exist, I will push myself away from what I love. You see, I should just practice moderation and stick to the stick form, and simply play with the sword instead of outing all this un-needed stress in my mind. Then at the end of the year I would probably be standing there confused as to what to do with myself, and disappointed in the choices I made. So, moderation wins again.
Yesterday, I got help with a combination I have had sketched down for some time now. That was nice to have that combination pounded out. The thing I like about combos so much is if I change my feet just a little bit, my hands change that much as well, and a different strike might work better. As our harmonies say movements to be, they truly are. When we absolutely let go and let the kung fu take over, it is amazing at just how our bodies flow. I am no guru of kung fu or any thing like that, but I feel I do have a good understanding of spiritualism. The sense I believe, tell me that if I continue to let go and practice the principles to the best of my abilities, each and every day, great things will happen. Great opportunities will continue to present themselves. Just one catch. I need to work very hard for these good things in life. Otherwise I will not even know opportunities just passed me by. Good stuff, man, good stuff.
I am looking forward to boot camp. This will be my first go at it. I am pumped. Again I have no idea as to what I am getting myself into again, but I am positive its going to be wickedly intense. Broadsword forms, and wing chun and self defense theory and then I have been told something like a black belt test. Holy man, I am probably going to puke. But it will be worth it. hahaha! This going to be lots of fun. I can not wait to see just how well I will do, as to how I may think I will do. Well, that's not really true. I carry the thought process today that I will succeed. Whether I actually win something or learn a lesson in defeat, I am always trying to better myself. As a result, I succeed at what I set out to do, one way or another. Fantastic! Kind of cocky I know, but what do you do, when being confident in something. I have done some reading as to what "champions" and "winners" do. You know the people you see who are just successful. And yes it is very true that they work hard, but the also think highly of themselves. They have a self-confidence of themselves that just stands out. With a lot of these kinds of people, they don't need to talk about how great they are, they are just great. Their awesomeness just seeps out of their pores. But it all started in the mind. Ali said one day he would became the champ, because he always knew, if he worked hard now, that later he was going to be the champ. He became the champ because he believed in himself. Now, I don't desire to be number one in the kung fu world, but, I do desire to be the best that I can be in the kung fu world. And that, I do not know what all is entailed of that, except for lots and lots of hard work and a positive, I will prevail mind set. I see this kind of confidence in a bunch of the people I get to train and work with. Awesome stuff!
Well, I am going to eat mini donuts at the farmers market today, so I will catch you on the flip side people. Have a nice day and thanks for your time.
Will Duncan
