What's really hard?

Many people seem to respect the fact that I've earned a black belt. But the fact is, I know the truth. The running, the sparing, the intense four-classes-per-week run-up to earning the belt, and all those pushups.....was fun. There was a team of us that were into it. I felt great. They weren't really challenges or accomplishments in my book.

The real challenge for me... what has been really hard.... is the "come-backs". Being human , I get injured. And I have to take time off. And being old, my physical conditioning deteriorates rapidly.

The hardest thing I think I've ever done in terms of sports challenge was coming back after an 8 month layoff due to my sore shoulders when I was (something like) a blue belt. There was no real support team. I showed up at the dojo and while the staff was great, I practically didn't recognize any students. The people who had started with me had left or were onto their black belts (that wasn't my first time-off for injuries). I could hardly do a push-up and I had not much endurance. My flexibility was gone. I was full of doubts and my shoulders didn't feel all that great despite the months of rest and therapy. It was discouraging. Coming back was for me, something that I'm really proud of.

I'm thinking about this now since I'm hoping to start class on Monday after a 3-4 week time out. I'm nervous. I've been hurt. Both feet were injured. One has been sore for six months (since October). Both feet are still a little sore. I've put on five pounds. I haven't done much stretching.
This will be hard....




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