Last Words

 

Friday, January 05-07

This is the last post of the blog. Somehow over the summer I got out the daily habit of doing my suburi. I tried to pick them up and I was able to continue them in fits and starts, but I couldn't keep the momentum going.

I promised myself that in the New Year I would pick them up again, but I have admitted to myself that this is unlikely. My heart is just no longer in it.

Do I regret not finishing? Honestly, no. I learnt an awful lot about kendo in the two and a half years I did them. I feel the discipline matured me. My only regret is that I cannot answer or even speculate if what my teacher said to me 15 years ago was correct: Do a 1000 suburi for a 1000 days and somewhere along the way you'll reach enlightenment.

Maybe I just don't want it enough. My teacher in Japan arranged his priorities in the following way: job, kendo, family. While I respect this opinion and understand it, my priorities have always been family first and kendo/job second. I cannot imagine a time when I can balance all three of things successfully.

As for this blog, it's nice to finish it off. It has been a worthwhile record for me and I hope that those 20,000 visitors have enjoyed it too. As an aside, my hosting here will run out soon. If anyone wants to host it then please drop me an email.

So, that's it.

Even as this story  finishes another one starts. In it I predict that I will dance in candlelight with my wife in the kitchen. I will watch my daughter grow up to be a fine and strong woman.

This new story won't be recorded here, but it will happen nonetheless.

 

 

So long.