Yowza

I have said it many times, and I am going to say again. I love teaching. I love the challenge it provides and how it forces me to think outside the box.

On a daily basis, I have to try to find a balance between all the students, and at the same time try to inspire them. You don't want to sacrifice the whole class for the sake of one student, and you don't want to risk losing a student while you focus on the whole class. That is where it gets tricky, and that is why I depend on my fellow instructors. But even with the extra eyes, ears and intuition, we always run the risk of having a student fall through the cracks.

So that being said, I love what I do.

We can make a difference

Last week Monday, the kids and I brought the donations they had collected to the Mustard Seed in Edmonton.

It was all their idea to collect donations and therefore my job was to support them. Last Monday, we dropped off 7 bags of donations at the Mustard Seed's distribution centre, and then went over to their main building for a tour. It was very eye opening and made us very thankful for what we have.

We are working on a small video to document this project and I will post it when it is ready. I feel this project has had a big influence on the girls - they have seen poverty up close and have witnessed how they made a difference.

Their empathy for others has started to shine through - on their own, they also volunteered to shovel a driveway this winter. I am sure this one will be a bigger challenge with our long winter, but I know they will experience the payoff of helping someone in need.

It doesn't take much to make a difference.

This and that

My UBBT year is coming to an end. One of my goals has been shelved for a little bit due to the class I had enrolled in being cancelled, but I am still moving forward.

The great thing is that while the official UBBT is ending, I have some habits that are now a part of me. I can’t say enough how much it has done for me, both as a person and as a martial artist.

On another note, this coming week is our annual Pandemonium. We have come up with a couple of more creative ways to raise money, and the kids seem to be excited. So am I. I look forward to sweating a lot this week, and knowing that my sweat and my awareness will help to make a difference.

I thank Kung Fu for the difference it has made in my life, and in my children’s lives. I see how much they have grown, and I feel that the world has a better chance of survival because of them.

My truth

I have been thinking lately about what defines me as a person. I have asked myself if it’s my hopes and dreams that define me or if it’s simply the things that make me happy in this moment?

I think when we get lost in our dreams, it becomes really easy to be disappointed when the reality is different. It is good to dream, and have goals though, so we have something to work towards, but we need to be cognizant to keep from getting blinded by them.

There are specifics that define me, and I think that to be able to continue to grow as a person it’s important for me to keep them front and center.

I am doing what I love, and loving what I am doing.