Day by Day

I take my progress in Aikido, and look at it as a day-by-day progression. We have classes three days per week, and I've been to thirteen classes so far this month. I've missed one day, and one day was canceled due to a seminar at the Midwest Aikido Center in Chicago - I did not attend. I am less than enthusiastic about attending seminars, which seem like advanced study, because I feel I have so much to learn at a basic level. I am improving; I feel that. I still have days where I feel I'm not making any forward progress, or worse, taking backwards steps, but I'm having more good days than bad days.

We have some very good fourth and fifth kyu students, and sometimes I feel they are every bit as good as me, despite my rank of third kyu. Part of that thinking begins with their age: they are all quite a bit younger than me, and they move like it. Perhaps it might me more accurate to say that I am older, and I move like it, yet I move with a certain level of confidence on certain techniques. I also see an increase in my ki, and my ability to move from my center. I have been told as much as well. Our instructor has told me that I am moving better and better. I am happy about that since certain health issues slow me down and limit my ability to move in certain ways. Thursday, for example, was a very rough day at the dojo for me. Every part of my body hurt, no matter what I did. Today, however, I felt that I was moving really well. I was able to enter into techniques with more energy and life - both as nage and uke. I really enjoyed today's class. I could not say the same for Thursday.

Once again, patience and humility must rule the day.