I'm Still Going Forward

Well, I feel quite pleased with how I am doing on my kung fu requirements.  I believe I have managed to keep on track for the most part.  I find my push ups a real struggle these days due to the fact that they seem to be getting harder on my arthritic wrists.  I refuse to let it slow me down though.  I do tricep push ups and regular ones on my knees, yet still I notice that I have started to dread doing them when the time comes.  For some reason they seem a bit easier when I do them after my yoga, which I do in the morning at the edge of the yard overlooking the lake.  Is it because of where I am that it becomes easier, or because the grass is softer and cushier on my wrist?  Probably just because I am outside.  Everything is better outside, in my opinion. 😉

I have not done much with my forms, but I know this has got to change, and soon.  The only place I have to do my forms, is outside, and when I do, that means everyone can see me, including the neighbors and all the people at the beach beside us.  I know that it would be good practice for me to do when others are watching, but I still need to bite the bullet, and just get started.  I know that once I do, it will become easier, and I won't be so shy.  I have at least put in some efforts on a regular basis, thinking of a personal demo, and pulling ideas together.  It's a start!  Wait a second!  I do my yoga outside where others can see me, so why should I be afraid to do my forms?  I do my yoga early, just as the sun comes up and not many people around.  I can do my forms early too!  Great idea self!  😃

I have stepped outside the box on a few occasions lately, such as participating in the farmers market with my bird houses.  I sold a few, but not all.  My initial plan was to make and sell the bird houses so that I could buy the camera of my dreams that I have wanted for several years now.  As plans have changed, the money I earned will now be used to support being unemployed for the summer.  I am OK with that.  It's worth it.

I stepped outside of that box again on Tues this week.  My mom and brother here got together and found a group of people here in the valley that goes out hiking every Tues.  I went on my first hike with them this past week.  I never would have thought that I would go out like that with a group of people I had never met before.  I was actually really shocked that I did.  Perhaps it's my new appreciation of self that comes with a higher level of confidence that helped me out.  I wasn't even nervous at all, and I met some really nice friendly people who are passionate about the outdoors as much as I am. 

We hiked up to a place called McLean Lake.  It wasn't a real tough hike.  Only 6 km each way, and 576 M in elevation gain. Lots of grizzlies in the area, but we had a horn that we blew every now and again to keep them at a distance. The temperature here that day was 35, but we were under cover of the trees for quite a bit of the time.  Still, by the time we got to the lake, I had sweat dripping from every pore, and my back was soaked.  Made it real easy to take off the hiking boots and go in the lake, glacier water or not.  Soooooo refreshing!

This was good for me to step outside the box and meet new people, but it was also another requirement of mine, which is to climb 3 mountains this summer.  I am doing another hike on Monday with Dean, and we are going to Diana Lake.  I'm told that the last part of this hike is very steep. Yikes!  My calf muscles are finally feeling better today, so I am sure I'll be raring to go by Monday. 

I finally got my bike fixed, so have been taking advantage of that, and putting on the KMs.  I love getting out on my bike, and it doesn't really matter where.  Last night I went out for an hour with my binoculars and camera of course, just around town.  I love it here!  I don't have to go far to watch the painted turtles sunning on the log in the pond, or begging for bread scraps, or to see the osprey and eagles catching dinner for their young, or to watch the family of merganzers out for a swim.  I am told there is a long trail out along the old highway here, and I am definitely going to ride that in the near future. Probably get in lots of bird watching as well.

It feels so good to know that I have kept to my promise of doing the I ho chuan and keeping engaged right from the start.  I have never been a quitter, and whatever I do, I usually like to give it everything I've got.  This is part of my legacy I want to leave my children and their children after them.  I have been able to cross off some of my requirements, and the list is getting smaller now.  So so much more important than that though, is where my requirements have gotten me to today.  My personal growth that I have achieved so far, is something that I can not put any price on, buy online or in a store, receive as a gift from others, or even be forced into by another person.  My personal growth has come from my own doing, with the tools that have been given to me by someone else.  I know for a fact, that I would not feel too good about myself if I chose to do the I ho chuan, and then didn't hold true to my commitments.  That would not go over well with me.  I joined the I ho chuan for myself.  I didn't do it for sifu Brinker, or for anyone else in the school.  I didn't even do it for my 4th degree, as I wasn't even thinking that when I first approached sifu Brinker.   That was the furthest thing from my mind.   I did it.....for me.  In the ripple, for family as well.  When I first saw the note on the board for the new dog team, I knew then that this was my year to improve.  My immediate thought was, I have a lot of room for personal growth, and this just may be the right time, and the right road to take to get there.  I do not like to be told what to do, so I guess that's why this had to come from myself.  I guess it was just the right time for me to recognize I needed this and I was ready to accept the challenge on my own.  I will never look back but rather cherish this journey, learn and absorb all that I can while I am travelling it!  I can soar like the eagles.  I just have to make the choice to step off the limb.