stabenow. tai chi and me

Driving to school today going 35 in a 35mph hour zone I was passed by an impatient driver who went two blocks and turned. Such a hurry in a residential area with a rest home also could lead to accidents. Coming home from my night classes going speed limit or 5 over I am often passed by cars going much faster whose turn is the next road or two roads up. The boys in my impact class brag about the speeds they reach on the roads( granted I listen to this with a grain of salt). Why the need for speed?

Not only speed on the road but also students wish they were 18 which seems to be magical self sustaining adulthood. Not so as we who have reached and passed the magical door can attest and besides at 18 they want to be 21. The grass is greener syndrome is rampant in the world.

Recently I began tai chi. This is an exercise in movement that is fluid and not rushed. It looks easy , but when done correctly it can make one aware of muscles that have been dormant. even the warm up exercises cause me to slow down and become aware of my surroundings. At present I am working on parting the wild horse's mane stance which is a relatively easy movement but placing the legs correctly and remembering not to lift my shoulders or tun my head takes concentration. So the leg muscles ache and the mental strain is also there. Finished with ten minutes my entire body is awake and I am relaxed.
This comes not from the speed or number of repeats but from on the desire to do it well as it should be done. The slow fluidity is a blessing.

My desire to try tai ch comes from watching it in Calendar Girls and other venues and more so from reading about it in Dana Stabenow's Liam Campbell books. So I am stretching mind and body in a new way/ the slow fluidity of the forms allows me to meditate as I work out. My mind opens to the surroundings and I am more aware of sounds, smells, etc. It gives me time to "smell the roses". so the rush mentality of fellow drivers and my students puzzle me. Why run so fast you miss out on so much beauty around you. There is no answer for that question but I have chosen to to drive the speed limit and slow down a bit to be more aware of things and people around me. They enrich my life and are worth the time.