Taekwondo Class

This week is "bring a family member to class" week at Robby's Taekwondo studio. I wasn't terribly thrilled with the idea of abandoning my perch in the spectator row, but Robby seemed excited and and determined that I participate. Last night I dug my work out clothes out of the bottom of my dresser drawer, smoothed out the wrinkles and went to Taekwondo with my ten-year-old.

I love that the fact that I'm an amputee never crossed Robby's mind as a potential excuse for my not participating. Parents were invited so he assumed that I would and that I could participate. He was more concerned with my ability to keep up with the class because of my age, an accusation I interpreted as a gauntlet. Pain and fatigue be damned, I was not going to be out performed by my child. 

I can't say that I enjoyed class, but I know that Robby seemed to love the novelty of my being there. While I was concentrating on staying erect, Robby was giggling and encouraging me to continue. The forms and exercises are certainly more labor intensive than they look from the comfort of the spectator seats. I was prepared for the class to be tiring, but I was caught off guard by the difficulty level.  After actively participating, I have a whole new appreciation for the skills that Robby is mastering.

My moves were clumsy and my punches were off-center and weak, but I never gave up and I kept moving.  At the end of class, Robby congratulated me and told me that I made him proud.  I guess this old woman still has a trick or two up her sleeve.