8/21/12

How Ginger got her groove back

Lately I've been letting my love for Jiu-Jitsu be overshadowed by some negative experiences, so I've had a hard time summoning the desire to keep swimming against the stream. It took every ounce of willpower I have to convince myself to go to class last Thursday, but I'm glad I did.

Shoyoroll giI spent most of that class working on spider guard with white belts, and I enjoyed every minute of it.  I actually felt like I had something to offer, and that I wasn't just taking up space.  All of my partners were eager and grateful for my assistance, and I think I was able to teach them a few things.  It was a good day of Jiu-Jitsu, which I desperately needed.  Out came the sun, and dried up all the rain.

Conan was wearing a new Shoyoroll gi, and before class he showed me the quote inside of it:

"Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens." -J.R.R. Tolkien 

No matter how dark the road gets sometimes, I really can't imagine ever leaving the path.  Once in awhile I just need to remind myself of why I started doing Jiu-Jitsu in the first place, and reconnect with what I love about it.  When I focus on that, everything else seems insignificant, because the struggle is worth it.

Right now I don't have the excitement I once did, but I still have the drive.  I'm ready to face whatever new challenges may lie ahead, and I won't let anything stand in my way.  I've made it through darker times than this, and I'm not about to give up now.  Jiu-Jitsu or die!

"Ride hard, don't look back." -J.R.R. Tolkien