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Old 10-30-2010, 04:46 PM   #127
RED
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 909
United_States
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Re: Is two Days a week enough?

Quote:
Maggie Schill wrote: View Post
I've known many Aikidoka with extreme health issues, blind, old etc. Their Aikido will never be of a certain level because of physical disabilities. But, They train every chance they get. They are in love with Aikido. Aikido is like young love... when you're in love nothing takes priority. Health permitting, I see these people scramble to get to training, as much as humanly within possibility. Even when it isn't fun anymore, they have to be there.

Some people are in love with Aikido, hopelessly.. infatuated. A day without training is an anxious, bad day. When you are in love you rearrange your life, fiances and plans to accommodate the object of that obsession. That anxiety and depression without Aikido is what drives people to be with the object of their obsession...not matter what. I can't say who is and who isn't in love with anything. Only the individual can judge his own heart. I've not personally judged anyone for their level of commitment, because I don't know anyone on here personally. I just can't imagine anyone who loves something who wouldn't rearrange heaven and earth to get to it. If my statements are bothersome, they are not being directed at any individual. I'm just stating my beliefs on the issues, and I figure if what I complain against is in line with how some people train it might strike a nerve, and I apologize, because I'm not trying to direct my statements at any individual.

I don't care about other people's rank, or even skill set. You can be the worse Aikidoka that ever walked the earth...but I love it when I meet people who catch that love bug for the art.

My entire point in this is that I don't believe in excuses for why some one doesn't train more. I believe people make time for the things they love, they find time, no matter what. Life is complicated and taking more time to train can make it even more complicated--- but like a boyfriend your mom hates; it's worth the complication.
If something else takes priority in one's life over Aikido, that's fine.

These sets of decisions and priorities define what our lives are about IMO. I firmly believe a person is defined by love. What they love, and whom loves them. If your child takes priority over Aikido because you love him, be proud, you are defined as a mother. If Aikido takes priority over somethings in your life, be proud, you are Aikidoka.
I like the idea of people being who they are, and being intellectually honest with themselves about what the priorities of their life amounts to.
Other words, it's okay to do Aikido and not have it be your priority in life. Casual practice, hobbyist, recreation, or just the joy of the art are Nobel enough reasons to practice on a casual basis. Just understand for some one who practices a lot 2 days a week will always seem "casual", even if it doesn't feel casual for the 2 day a week practitioner.

Again, I apologize if you felt I was directing my complaints to any individual. I can't judge anyone, let alone people I've never met. These are my beliefs on priority, training and a life commitment to an art.
I just want to clarify, I do believe you can be very good at Aikido with other priorities. I'm married, and if something was wrong with my husband, I wouldn't just train regardless of him. Aikido is about love IMO...I'm not a freak willing to spit in the eye of love and common sense.
I just have priorities, and some personal standards for my training, because of an honest love of an art.

MM
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