The days are slipping away quickly now, but with the early winter sun warming the training courtyard, today turned out to be one of the most enjoyable I’ve had in months.
It came down to simple things. A blue sky that seemed to stretch forever, warmth on the skin, no rain in sight, and the pleasure of learning a new form. Together, they made a beautiful day inside this Kung Fu bubble, one that passed with ease.
As my leaving day draws closer, I’ve been wondering how to carry this feeling with me wherever I go next. The only answer I’ve found is to make sure the lessons, experiences and hopes that have grown here become part of me, embodied deeply enough to travel in the body rather than in a bag. It sounds simple. I know it could prove elusive as the distance from everything I’ve known grows. I believe it’s possible, but it will take work and mental discipline to get the outcome I want.
On a lighter note, I ordered a lightsaber on a whim, and it arrived last night. As I unpacked it, a crowd gathered, and the games began. It turns out I’m not the only one who goes looking for a distraction now and then.
It was a joy to watch coaches and students alike wander over to play. In a place like this, the smallest break from the everyday can be exactly what lifts the collective spirit. And this being a Kung Fu school, within minutes the training courtyard had become a light show of battle, everyone finding their inner child, becoming their favourite Star Wars character, and letting the fights flow.
I stepped back for a moment and simply watched. The laughter echoing around the courtyard was worth far more than the cost of the toy. A simple, innocent kind of fun sweeps through this school from time to time, resetting tired bodies and minds and readying them for whatever comes next.
I love days like this, and I already know I’ll miss them more than I can imagine.