Deep Winter

Today was the coldest day of winter.

The kind of cold that makes the idea of staying in bed feel not only reasonable, but intelligent. But there was training to be done, so up I got.

I won’t pretend it was easy. The cold seeped into everything, and with the end of my first six months approaching — along with an upcoming trip to Hong Kong to renew my visa — my energy felt scattered. There’s a subtle mental fatigue that comes with transitions, even when they’re chosen.

Still, my foot is finally starting to feel better, which made a real difference. This afternoon, I took the time to move slowly, staying low, letting Tai Chi become less about effort and more about presence. Those sessions are quietly becoming my favourite.

What surprised me most was how clear the progress felt. Almost daily now. And when I trace it back, it all seems to lead to the same place — the simple, repetitive discipline of Tai Chi walking. Step after step, session after session. Nothing dramatic. Just work.

So yes, it was brutally cold.

But it was also uncomplicated. Honest. Quietly satisfying.

And that, today at least, was enough.