Time to Stretch

Aah, I’m a healthy one.

It’s like the high dive, or the perfect prank.  I don’t think I’ll be satisfied considering it.  It rolls around in my head begging to be tried and, though it may lead to high blood pressure and embarrassing regret, I know I will eventually because …I don’t know…I must.

This is how I got into teaching taekwondo and yoga while learning taekwondo and yoga.  Did I mention I quit taekwondo and yoga classes?  I don’t regret either, I can do splits and hurt people, lessons learned, right?  I stuck with it for a few years, (unlike reading the classics-argh!!)   But it was time for something new.

With my schedule freed up, I’ve started piano lessons.  You know, like when I was eleven.  I’m a little afraid I’ll flake out like I have before, but that’s how it usually is in the beginning with stuff.   Awkwardness, hesitancy- just have to “power” through it.

In yoga I’d say, “Move to a point where you feel a good stretch, but no discomfort,” all the while moving into discomfort as I reached further across the floor anyway, just because I could and felt like getting it over with so next time would be easier.  (This is a yoga instructor no-no that I’m sharing.  Just being honest.)

There’s value in that caution, as long as I am, indeed, stretching myself.  Then my person, like muscle,  becomes warm, pliable, and grows.  And, oh did I grow with the martial arts/yoga thing!  I would never have dreamed I’d do so many demos in front of strangers, make so much physical contact with other people, or talk so much publicly 3 years ago when I signed up for class.

So, Hanon, here I come.  And maybe if I stick with this too, I’ll get one of these.