New Article: "It Does Get Harder As You Go Along"

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Posted 2006-05-31 16:42:46 by Jun Akiyama
News URL: http://www.aikiweb.com/training/gordonschweer1.html

This collaborative piece of writing entitled, "It Does Get Harder As You Go Along" (http://www.aikiweb.com/training/gordonschweer1.html) chronicles the honest, heart-felt, and introspective year-long communications between Frank Gordon and Paul Schweer as Frank truly takes his aikido training "off the mat" and into his personal, everyday life.

It really is worth the read, folks.

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[senshincenter]

I found this fantastic - loaded with insights - all around. Thank you so much for the openness and the willingness to share.

honored,
dmv

[Janet Rosen]

hearfelt thanks to my two friends for willingness to "go public" with their conversation.

[Susan Dalton]

Beautifully done, both of you. I know you didn't write this to publish, but I'm glad you did. Frank, I was so happy when I got to the end and you were OK that I wanted to send you a great big hug.
Susan

[martyb]

As a former student of Frank Gordon Sensei, I was just wondering how and what he is currently doing, and what the Glenwood Springs dojo is up to....

Does anyone online have information?

---Marty

[Paul Schweer]

This is a difficult path, but I know it is very little compared to what others have to deal with.
-- Frank Gordon

In 2004, in a dark and somewhat shitty little hotel lounge, Frank Gordon was the guy sitting quietly. Sipping his beer, he listened. And when a question -- a challenge, really -- went to him, and all eyes fell on him, and all of us sitting there with him watched and waited, he waited too. He didn't seem to mind, seemed not to like it much, the moment stretching out as he thought about it. What he eventually said, his answer -- he explained himself in what he said, how he said it -- was as much for himself as anyone, seemed like. Quiet, direct. From his heart, if you like. Or if you didn't.

Maybe he didn't like being asked. Maybe he didn't like the attention. And maybe he just did his best with that, like he seemed to do with everything else.

I heard this morning that Frank's cancer came back, and that this time he didn't make it.

And I remembered the look in his eyes.

Paul Schweer

[thisisnotreal]

I'm sorry