January, 2003
Perfect Moments
Previous Issues
Just recently, I had a perfect Aikido moment. Strangely,
there was nobody flying through the air at the time.
I was driving in my car with my three kids. My wife was
working, so I had taken the three of them to a toy store to find Christmas
presents for each other. While I watched Nicholas—our four-year-old—play
obsessively with a train set, the two older boys swept the store in search
of presents for each other. Justin came back with a toy for Matthew, and
I hid it under my coat. Matthew came back with a toy for Justin. I hid
that under Nick's coat. Then the two of them found a toy for Nicholas,
and I hid that, too. I kept expecting a security guard to grab my arm,
the man with all the toys hidden under his coats.
We got the toys paid for, somehow without any kid seeing
what someone else had picked out for him. As we drove home, it started
to snow. Christmas music played on the radio. The car moved confidently
along the road. The snow flew toward the windshield in that way that makes
you think you're flying into hyperspace. The kids had that pleasant, Christmas-shopping
glow—thoughts of giving, but probably more likely, of receiving.
They were jabbering quietly. And that's when I noticed that feeling. Like
everything was right in the world. Or at least, in my world.
Now, I've felt this way many times in my Aikido practice.
That's the way Aikido rewards you for a job well done. You feel good,
and oddly enough, the person you just threw feels good, too. But when
that feeling came over me on that snowy ride home with three glowing kids,
it kind of took me by surprise.
It reminded me that there a lot of different ways to
get to that good feeling we associate with Aikido. And when you do, when
you hit that perfect sweet spot and it resonates throughout your body
and soul, you should just go with it. You don't need four principles—or
even one—at times like this. The universe just handed you your best
state on a silver platter. You don't have to work for it at all. You just
have to appreciate it.
How many times did that happen to me last year, perfect times that I enjoyed and then promptly forgot? This year, I'm keeping track.
Recent testing
The following people recently tested for their next ranks:
For 6th Kyu, Ken Rich, Aidan Rich, Jason Taniguchi, Mario Sbrocco, and
Stewart Laird. For 5th Kyu, Eric Chesley, Bob Leschingski, Ed Laird, and
Tina McCann. For 4th Kyu, David Petterson, Christian Haacke, Ingrid Mesa,
Nataliya Minkovska, and Carroll Wilcox. Everyone did a fine job. Congratulations
on attaining your next rank!
New Canvas
The new canvas for our dojo mat has finally arrived. This
will be installed some time in the next couple of weeks. Our old canvas
shows the happy scars of frequent usage—its threadbare and torn spots
are like the smile lines on our faces. Thank you to those members who
have performed the plastic surgery that kept our mat performing much longer
than it ever should have!
Upcoming Events
Open Mat, Friday, January 3 at 5:45 PM.
Beginners' Class, Wednesday, January 8 at 7 PM.
Open Mat for Brown and Black Belts, Sunday, January 12 at 10 AM.
Ran Tori class, Wednesday, January 15 at 7 PM.
Weapons Class, Wednesday, January 15 at 8 PM.
Open Mat, Friday, January 17 at 5:45.
Testing, Monday January 20 at 7 AM, and Tuesday, January 21 at 7 PM.
Video Night, Thursday, January 23 at 8 PM.
Winter Camp with Maruyama Sensei, March 14-16 in New Jersey.
I make the most of all that comes, And the least of all that goes.
- Sara Teasdale