Halfway through my second belt test in the mixed martial arts class, the coach told us to do the shoulder rolls.
That’s one of the basic movements in Jiujitsu.
A few months prior, I asked a coach for help with my shoulder roll after class. With his help, I did it right for the first time! A black belt student who was watching complimented me, saying this is one of the movements it’s hard to get after age 45. Well, I am overqualified to be in the age group.
I kept practicing at home. I found a Youtube video that helped me understand the mechanics of it. The video also taught me how to do the back roll.
But I haven’t practiced them for a month… oh shoot.
Starting with the black belt students to the lowest yellow belt (me), we did it one by one for several rounds.
Some higher-belt students couldn’t do it.
Then I did it very smoothly, which was a complete surprise—no one expected it. It’s not from the standing position, which advanced students do, but I was so proud of myself. The practice paid off.
I was on an extremely high for the rest of the day. I was like five years old. I couldn’t stop thinking and talking about it. My spirit was fully out, and feeling pure joy. It was almost like my spirit took over all my space.
Later that day, I demonstrated the shoulder roll to my husband and son. There were impressed by a very unlikely movement that I showed, knowing I can be clumsy.
I couldn’t calm myself down to sleep that night.
I was always in the bottom three in the PE class. Even my parents didn’t expect anything when it came to my athletic ability. Maybe because of this low expectation, the joy I felt from the performance was phenomenal?
Whatever it is, I am joy and this is my essence.
What is your essence, your true qualities, the light you were born with, which you might have forgotten?
