Balance

Tonight was the first time in two weeks that I was in the dojo. I have been busy with family commitments, work responsibilities and my daughter’s back to school regimen. I have spent the past Tuesday and Thursday evenings taking my daughter to soccer. The practice field is a twenty-minute drive from home in a rural part of the county. There is a beautiful church with a glass steeple across the street from the field. There are cornfields on the left and I can see a mountain range in the distance. The sun sets behind the church and creates an elegant skyline.

I sat on my lawn chair and read. The first week, I pulled out my copies of Bugeisha magazine. This magazine was published in 1997 for the Traditional Martial Artist. The second week, I decided to re-read, “Living the Martial Way” by Forest E. Morgan, Maj USAF. This passage from the book stood out for me:

“Warriors, on the other hand, have very little spare time. They lead goal-oriented lives, and their goals demand dedication. But warriors also know they must balance work and training with rest and play. They do so by choice, as part of their training. Warriors are always under control.”

The balance of work and training with rest and play is at times…difficult. To be in control can ward off being overwhelmed. For the next few weeks, I am going to enjoy studying martial arts while I enjoy taking my daughter to soccer practice.