The effort to bond

This week from Monday - Thursday, during every morning, was horse camp. I got lucky and got the same horse I had from the Remuda program, so he remembered me and we still had a bit of a bond. Key word: bit. Humans are very biased people. Someone will look at a horse and say "I love that horse." When they had only just met. Horses, and all animals, I guess, are different then us. People say dogs are one of the most loving animals, but if you bring a new dog home, he's going to be shy and isolated and cautious, because he just got put in a new home with new people. If that happened to me, I'd be rather shy and isolated and cautious as well. After time, the dog gets used to you, you give him treats and pet him, and he starts to like you. You're in the effort to bond. But if your just kicking him around and yelling at him, he won't like you. Rather poor effort to bond, I'd think. People are the same. You can't run up to a total stranger, give them a hug and a cookie and be BFF's. It just doesn't work that way. You got to put in some effort and trust.

For the fun of it

First of all, I like to say sorry to everyone about my lack of posting. Between now and my last post, I've done quite a bit, such as going to New Brunswick (Which happened to be on panadmonium week), climbing a mountain, all that fun stuff. I did it all because I could learn, I could benefit. But also for the fun of it. Life's to short to waste, so, while it's good to learn, you can't waste all your time on it. Even the parade today. While it felt like an oven, it was so much fun walking around in the Budha suit. With all the kids waving, it was an expeirience that shouldn't be missed. What I still need to figure out, though, is how sifu Vantuil manages to wear that every year. It's a mystery I might never solve. Life without fun is a life without meaning.

Courage

What is courage? Some people think of it as jumping off a 50ft cliff into a river. Others consider it getting in front of peers to do a speech. Courage means to do something that frightens one. Thats why its hard to come by. I was at the WEM water park yesterday and I tell you, looking at the slides in which you stand in the case and that creepy voice counts down...3....2...1....And the floor disapears benath you and your hurtling down a slide at a verticle line to what you think is your ultimate doom, well, it takes a lot to get on one of those. But even performing your form at the friday class. I almost dropped my sword one time, my palms were so sweaty. We live in a world of fear, but all it takes is a breath and your done.

Pulling weight

We have all went on a group trip, whether it was with family or friends, we've done it. A perfect example of pulling your own weight is hiking. Everyone has to carry something. Bigger people take the bigger packs. The smaller people take the smaller packs. It all works out. But if the smallest person, who may just be carrying plates, silverware and cups, decides they don't want to carry those small things, its a small amount, but the person who ends up carrying that unnessecary weight, that might slow down the group a bit, not to mention the person who is doing nothing, just taking in the view. Thats what I Ho Chuan is like. If you have people there just to say "Ya, I'm on that awesome team that does  all that cool stuff" When someone else is working their butt off to make that stuff happen.

What keeps us going

"I can't do it. Its to hard. Make it stop". When the human being is doing something like I Ho Chuan, the commitment starts to catch up to us. Some people listen to the voices. They slow down  and stop the project, almost immediately. Other people keep going and ignore the voices. But keeping up all alone is difficult. When working on a project, people should keep 1 thing in mind. Why are you doing it in the first place? Are you raising money for the fundaisers or are you it for recogition. I've always thought "I want to write a story" yet I can never write anything more than a paragraph. I look at peoples posts, then mine and think "What the heck!" Its like my writings smaller then the most. But, back on topic, I ran out of inspiration. Got filled with doubt, and stopped. Don't let that happen.

What keeps us going

"I can't do it. Its to hard. Make it stop". When the human being is doing something like I Ho Chuan, the commitment starts to catch up to us. Some people listen to the voices. They slow down  and stop the project, almost immediately. Other people keep going and ignore the voices. But keeping up all alone is difficult. When working on a project, people should keep 1 thing in mind. Why are you doing it in the first place? Are you raising money for the fundaisers or are you it for recogition. I've always thought "I want to write a story" yet I can never write anything more than a paragraph. I look at peoples posts, then mine and think "What the heck!" Its like my writings smaller then the most. But, back on topic, I ran out of inspiration. Got filled with doubt, and stopped. Don't let that happen.

Misbelief

Something has happened to us all (at least once) that we didn't believe actually happened. Whether it was cracking an iPhone screen to sky diving, we know it happened, yet we still ask someone if that ACTUALLY happened. On wednesday, my iPad feel out of its case and is in dire need of repair. Its a good thing I have a bluetooth typing case, or typing this would get rather difficult. Anyway, I continuously go and check the screen, telling myself, it didn't happen, it was just a dream. But no. Its always cracked, every time I check. I guess what I'm saying is, don't waste time convincing yourself that nothing happened, when you KNOW it happened.

Impact

IHC is a big part in all of our lives. It does different things for each us, things that almost nothing else could do. For example, earlier today, dad and I basically moved the basement upstairs. A flat screen tv, a leather couch and a table up 2 flights of stairs. Even with him carring most of the weight, it was heavy and rather difficult fo me. I then, after the moving was done, sat down and thought. I've been doing kung fu for almost 5 years, and must have done atleast 100,000 push ups. Thats a lot of arm muscle being built. Now, subtract that muscle, and I would still be the scrawny weak guy I was. But despite the grueling path to IHC completion, Its all worth it.

Understanding the commitment

Its only been a few days since I started IHC, but I'm already starting to figure out its a lot more then I was expecting. Even after just a few days, my shoulders are starting to hurt and my body is constantly telling me "What were you thinking!?!", but my mind is telling me joining the team is the best decision I've made in a long time. Kung fu has been a big part of my life now, and I like it that way. Constantly dropping to the ground to do push ups from the moment you wake up to the moment you fall asleep is really making me feel positively better about myself, giving me the "You can do it!" feeling. While this commitment is pushing out the unnecessary things in life like video games, it makes me wonder on the inside: What if I didn't start IHC? Would I still be the person I was?

Update 1: The intro

My name is Simon Kohut and I'm starting my first year of I Ho Chuan in the year of the sheep. I am very excited to get to know the rest of the team better and to take a step further in my kung fu knowledge. Ever since my first Chinese new year 5 years ago I've always thought how much of an experience it would be to perform in a lion dance. I have always thought that the weapon demos were even cooler than the action movies. I have always looked up at the I Ho Chuan team and thought that's what I want to be one day. Now I am officially on the team. Its more than I anticipated. I'm starting to see it takes much more than just awesome looking forms and perfect flying kicks. It helps you with more than your kung fu, but your every day to day life, making you a more humble, honest and respectful person. I'm hoping this will help me organize my time better and help me break bad habits. I look forward to the challenge and being part of the team.

Thanks everyone, see you on the mats.