Kotsu Kotsu

At the age of 36 I decided to try training in the martial arts. There was an aikido class offered at my local Y.  I loved it. I loved the fact that even a small person could throw someone big.  I loved the underlying principles . I was in great shape, I loved doing my part to become a better uke , learning to fall safely, no matter how hard I was thrown. I was, and continue to be, very inspired by the founder of my aikido school, Shuji Maruyama Sensei . He often talks about the fact that Kokikai Aikido gives us a path that helps us continue to grow throughout our lifetimes . When the Olympics are taking place or during baseball playoff season, he often points to the short careers of athletes: most sports don't have world-class competitors who are over 40, or even over 30. At some point when he was in his mid-sixties, Sensei made a comment that, "At my age, most people are retired and sitting around in a rocking chair!" Then we watched him fold a 280-lb. guy into...

Recently I attended Kokikai Aikido Winter Camp. This is always an amazing experience, in which some 300 students of Maruyama Sensei convene to practice under his tutelage. This year was especially memorable as we celebrated the 45th anniversary of Sensei bringing his practice to Philadelphia . Several of the students who attended the gala celebration have been practicing with Sensei for 30, 40, even all 45 of those 45 years. I was struck, before and after the event, how few people really stick with anything for 45 years . And even if they keep doing the same thing, how many people continue to have enthusiasm and dedication to growing and challenging themselves ? In our jobs, in our hobbies, most of us move on to something else, or we "burn out," "tread water," 'til retirement time. That is not the case with Sensei, and it's not the case with his students. Looking back at the endeavors I have tried and left behind, in each there has come a point where...