Early in May, Jon and I walked into Master Gohring’s Tai Chi and Kung Fu somewhat on a whim. Jon wanted to get more exercise and had always wanted to try martial arts. And as much as I love to dance, after twenty years of that being my primary physical activity, I was looking to shake things up a bit. So we signed up for a new student special, and after the first 30-minute class, I turned to Jon and said, “Let’s do that again!” A week later, we formally enrolled.
Master Gohring’s school is a family-oriented place, so there are children in most of the classes — most of whom are higher ranked than we are. It’s been pretty humbling to have at least 15 years on some of my classmates, and have them be far more skilled than I am. No matter how much I’ve accomplished in life, I’m always going to be a beginner at something.
This past week, we took our first sash test, and promoted up to Gold. Next week, we start a new unit. I’m looking forward to learning new forms, and also honing what I’ve already picked up. There is a long road ahead to Black Sash, and I’m looking forward to it.