As a follow-up to the Covid post, I am supposed to participate in an Aikido seminar in 3 weekends. I question whether I will really be up to it. In Aikido, once you are of the “dan” ranks (black belts) you are expected to attend two seminars per year. This is a big thing in the art. You go somewhere, usually another dojo, and a high-ranking teacher from somewhere else leads class for a weekend. Usually it is a full day of practice on Saturday and then Sunday morning. It is exhausting but fun. It is important to expose yourself to other ideas in the art, as well as create and maintain relationships as part of the greater Aikido community.
The last few years there have been very few seminars, due mostly to dojo closings resulting from the pandemic.
Anyway, I honestly don’t know if I will have enough fuel in the tank to do this. It seems like a lot of time, but it will be here before I know it. Right now I am about 55% well. I did not have any of the drastic respiratory problems that can come with Covid, but the fatigue is real. I’d say the same if I was recovering from the flu.
I had been feeling almost…normal…about going to events. For example, gaming conventions. Cons are well known as great places to get sick. I have a badge for the next North Texas RPG Con. Now I am rethinking whether I even want to go. I will have lost a week of health and fun activity do this particular illness. I don’t know that I really want to roll the dice a gaming con. Or, if I go to this Aikido seminar, what am I likely to pick up there? Flu? Some other Covid variant? Who knows.
Now, I can’t live my life in fear of getting sick. I understand that. But it is something to consider.
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