When I came to pick him up, I noticed that he was working with someone who used strength and size to stop every technique. Then it was my son's turn to be uke. "Uh oh," I thought, "he's going to do the exact same thing back to this guy" because of course that's what I would have done. But no, he was the same relaxed, committed uke he always is. To me, that was aikido.

What a splendid example of what Aikido is.

I have at times with such students, if their technique as nage isn't dangerous to me but their ukemi isn't offering me what I think I need to learn from, simply offered to continue in the role of uke, smiling and saying I learn so much more that way...and just focus on my ukemi skills from good attack through maintaining softness and connection....