Convergence

Next week, our dojo hosts a huge seminar. My teacher from CO, who taught me for 5 years, my teacher from Japan, who taught me for 2 1/2 years, and my current teacher will all be there.

My teacher from Japan gets here early next week, and not only because I manage the dojo and I speak Japanese, but also because of my familiarity with Sensei personally, I get to take him out to see the sites. We're going to Philly to see the old city and also over to Lancaster for what will probably be his first encounter with Amish. This should be interesting.

I was asked to, so I expect I'll also translate when he teaches, unless someone with better Japanese than mine should emerge. I'm just going to try to do his words some justice -- he's going to be talking about some pretty esoteric stuff, I imagine. Anyone who's done it knows that translating itself is challenging, then combine that with the fact that I haven't spoken Japanese for a while, plus I'll be in front of a lot of people and this is what I'll feel like ---> (>.<*)

One more thing to add to the mix: my current teacher wants me to take my nidan in front of all these people and teachers. What a silly surprise... and how lopsided I feel in my technique -- some things I know like the back of my hand, but I have only recently started weapons forms again, after a 5-year hiatus, so those are utter crap and not even test-worthy.

If this test does manifest, I have nothing to show but what I actually have, who I actually am. I seriously have nothing to prove -- I am an Aikido mutt, and it is reflected in my movement. I don't know if this has made me stronger. If anything, I hope it makes me more versatile, more open. Whatever. This is really where I am.

So let's hope that this seminar is a huge success, not just for me, but for all my teachers. I'm sure they each have things on their minds too, maybe some more than I do.