We are failure…

I haven't posted anything in ages.

Fail. No excuse.

Though, the fact that I couldn't think of anything interesting to post here about says much about my life right now. I haven't gotten any work done on any of my current writing projects, I haven't baked anything since last week, I haven't really improved on my parkour training… Wait!

Yes. There. I has subject—training.

(clears throat) Not long ego, I sustained some sort of injury to my wrist—a minor sprain, I think—whilst doing diving cartwheels. This has provided yet another obstacle to overcome. It hurts whenever I put weight on it, which means that hand is pretty much out of commission when it comes to vaults. Also, I made the injury worse by continuing to practice. Now it gives out when I try quadrupedal movement as well.

Unfortunately, it impedes sword training even more than it does the parkour. Whereas in parkour I can still do one handed moves, such as safety vaults and speed vaults, the only longsword practice I can do effectively is footwork.

So, for the foreseeable future, I'll be doing a lot of running and footwork. In a way, this is good. I need vast improvement in those areas. I guess the injury, then, might be looked upon as a blessing in disguise? That's how I'm looking at it anyway. Sings: always looking on the bright side of life!

Go mbeannaí Dia duit,
M. S.

Skill

is what separates the master and the novice. Wikipedia defines it as "the learned capacity to carry out pre-determined results." Skill is learned, and it is honed with the sharpest wheel of all—Time. The more hours you pour into something, the better you'll become.

This is seen quite clearly in mock sword fights between my siblings. My eldest brother, handily beats me whenever we clash practice blades—only rarely do I score a hit on him. Many hours spent in training have given him the ability to deconstruct my defenses with ease.

Yet, there's one brother I'm able to defeat when wielding a sword in my off hand and munching an apple with my primary. Why? Because he doesn't practice, his swings are wild and uncontrolled; his form almost nonexistent.

When you're new to something, you aren't going to be good at it (unless you have natural talent, you lucky person). You can fail easily, and those failures either strengthen your resolve to learn, or they break you. Sometimes, you don't even begin for fear of failure. Your greatest enemy is yourself.

But if you can muster the strength and passion to begin, if you can clench that strength and persevere— then you'll acquire skill. Anything can be achieved with time. You might never become a grandmaster, but you don't know how high you can rise until you try.

I think this is true in everything we aspire to, whether it be martial arts, writing, baking, acting, parkour, gymnastics, drawing, painting, carving, etc. So don't let the fear of beginnings, the lack of skill stop you. Go forth, and know that skill will come with time spent in practice.

Go mbeannaí Dia duit,
M. S.

P.S. Wow, is it really midnight? No wonder I'm so loopy :)