I’ve been an educator my entire life, and I always loved those moments when I saw the “light bulb” go on in someone’s eyes. I’ve had this happen with students, instructors, even parents I was working with. It’s one of those rewarding elements of teaching.
I’ve always cherished when I had one of those same “light bulb” moments in my OWN life. And I had one recently. First, some context.
There was a time when I did not enjoy listening to Mozart. I thought it “boring” and just a bunch of notes. Then one day I had a teacher that taught me how to listen. He explained the intricacies, the way the lines moved and interacted, and I was able to suddenly hear the music “with new ears.” I’ll always be thankful for this gift, as I’ve enjoyed Mozart (and many other composers’ music like it) very much ever since.
I recently started Martial Arts training at the wonderful “Martial Arts Center for Health.” When I first showed up at their door (at the suggestion of my talented and miracle-working osteopath Dr. Laura Rampil) I was a bit skeptical. These instructors were saying all the things I wanted to hear, and I thought it might be too good to be true. Could they actually pay enough attention, and care enough about each student, to take the time to customize the teaching for each individual? Were they really willing to let each student work at their own pace and toward their own personal goals?
After a month of “Introductory Training” I discovered that this was all, indeed, very much true and I learned a deep respect for the hard work of the instructors. Yesterday, I took the next step and had a one-on-one consultation with master instructor Matt Mitchell that served as an “Introduction to Black Belt Training.” I was shown a variety of postures and movements which severely challenged my body and stamina, most of which were chosen (from hundreds of possibilities) to directly target my stated goals and desires.
(To say that I’m sore the next day is an understatement of monumental proportions! After almost 40 years of hard work in the gym I now see that there is much more strength and growth in store for my body. And these challenges will serve to allow me another 40 years in the gym, I feel confident.)
Many times in the past I had watched the instructors move through a series of movements, “forms” of martial arts, and was impressed with the obvious skill involved. But I didn’t really know what I was seeing. Like listening to Mozart without the right ears, I wasn’t sure what I was seeing.
Yesterday, sitting in a folding chair behind a screen, I watched Instructor Matt take the series of postures I had just struggled to replicate and incorporate them with jaw-dropping elegance and grace into a series of postures and movements that took my breath away. Suddenly, I was seeing with new eyes. Instead of random motions, I saw the postures I had been learning for a month, and then trying for a day, and saw the potential, the beauty, the level of flexibility and strength required to complete the form he was demonstrating. As I sat there with tears welling in my eyes, I realized that I had indeed arrived at the right place at the right time in my life, and I realized that I was seeing with new eyes, with new knowledge, and with a sudden respect for the art form and the talent and dedication of the instructors.
I can only hope to approach such a level of mastery, and hope to get the gifts that will come with the hours of hard work that are before me. But now that I can see all of this with new eyes, I am more excited than ever to take the first step, allow myself to stumble and fall, and then rise up stronger with each attempt. For this gift I’ve been given I will be forever grateful.