S.M. Carrière . com
Connect:
  • Home
  • About
  • Titles
    • Daughters Of Britain
    • Dear Father
    • Ethan Cadfael: The Battle Prince
    • Human
    • Skylark
    • The Dying God & Other Stories
    • The Seraphimè Saga >
      • The Summer Bird (v.1)
      • The Winter Wolf (v.2)
    • Your Very Own Adventures >
      • Skara Braens
      • Sky Road Walker
    • WIP Updates
  • Art
  • Other Projects
    • Editing Services
    • Charity Efforts >
      • Gàrradh nan Leannan
      • Have a Heart Campaign
    • Journal
    • Martial Arts
    • Silver Stag Entertainment
    • The Adventures of Grimglum the Nord
    • SMC Awkwardly Plays
  • Shop
    • Books
    • Art Prints
  • Contact

I Did Good

20/4/2017

1 Comment

 
Good morning, Readers.
Picture
Image courtesy of martialartsnews.net. Click for link.
It is no great secret that I love training in martial arts.

I've also not made it a secret that training martial arts changed my whole world.  It changed me.  I went from being chubby, shy, and crippled by anxiety and depression.  I'm still chubby, I can still be very shy, and my depression is as omnipresent as always, but I'm no longer crippled by my issues.  I've become stronger; not just physically, but also mentally.  I feel powerful, centred.

Martial arts has given me so, so much.

It was with this in mind that I agreed to teach martial arts.  I was particularly interested in teaching martial arts to women.  I know from experience that walking into a gym and finding it filled with men training in something that is, by design, aggressive and deadly, is horrifically intimidating.

For the people who have been told all their lives that they can't do something by virtue of their sex organs, sometimes it is enough to have them turn around and go home.

That's a shame, because I know for a fact that women are every bit the warriors men are.  History is littered with examples of women who have taken up arms, from queens, to regular women going a-viking with their husbands, powerful pirates who've built pirate empires, or mothers razing cities to the ground in vengeance.

It is evident in the women who fight every day; fight to be seen, to be heard, to make their worlds better.  They are the ones who continue on, despite the constant deluge of disrespect, disbelief, and erasure.

Still, she persisted.

Martial arts helped me find the warrior inside myself; the one who was screaming to be let out, who lashed out, wild and uncontrollable.  Martial arts gave her a voice, a way to be seen, and the wild destruction of her rages has calmed.  Anger and helplessness have transformed into strength and calm.

I wanted to give that to other women.

Last night I went out to dinner with a few of my kickboxing students.  The semester is over, and one of my long-time students will be leaving us to return home. It turned into quite an emotional night, with these gorgeous souls expressing how much kickboxing has changed their lives.

I saw in their stories mine reflected almost perfectly.

It was so, incredibly beautiful to see, and so deeply humbling.  Through the tears and the laughter, it struck me that I succeeded, even if only a little.  I helped these women find their light.  And what an incredible light!

Guys, I did good.  In this at least.

It's important to note that I did not turn these women into warriors.  The warrior was there already.  All I did was try to help them see her.

I was too overwhelmed last night to cry, but I'm crying recalling it.  I'm just so touched by these women, and their stories, and so grateful to have played a part in them.  I love my ladies.

Watching these women bloom has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.  Hearing their stories has reaffirmed my love of martial arts, and my belief in its value.  I hope it's something I get to do for a long while yet.
1 Comment
Mr_Jim
20/4/2017 10:33:24 am

You did indeed!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    S.M. Carrière, a Celtic Studies enthusiast, writes fiction.  And this blog.

    Archives

    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    September 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014

    Categories

    All
    Book Reviews
    Events
    Gaming
    Human
    Life
    Rants
    Reading
    Seraphimè Saga
    Seraphimè Saga
    Skylark
    Television
    Training
    Travels
    Writing
    YouTube

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly