Making Right Choices

I became an accredited TCC teacher in April 1995, and ever since have been on a whirl wind, conscious-choice trip of joyous movement through T’ai Chi Chih.

In just the past week, I have taught 3 night classes, a private lesson Saturday and a presentation to a senior citizen’s group on Sunday. I also work full-time as an Administrative Assistant in a college and a p-t student working for a B.F.A. degree.

The point of all this is not to brag, but to let you know that anything is possible when one makes the right choices, and thank you Justin Stone, T’ai Chi Chih has been the right choice for me. Outside of a cold once in a while, I am very healthy and my energy level has reached a new high. P.S. I turn 60 in a week.

Today, in a Chicago synagogue, I gave a TCC presentation to about 30 senior citizens, some of whom were paralyzed and others that had severe arthritis. The message became clear to me that yes, in spite of my doubts, I am a good teacher (in other words I can communicate with others). One woman said she had had a headache and it went away. Another man with tears in his eyes claimed that his shoulder felt less painful (he was suffering from osteoporosis and from trauma due to having been assaulted). Actually, there were no complaints from anyone, and I came away with such a feeling of overwhelming gratitude for being able to share the Chi with them.

None of this would have been possible if I hadn’t made the decision almost two years ago to take a TCC class in my apartment building. Hannah Hedrick was the teacher, and through her excellent teaching skills, patient loving guidance and support, a couch potato (little ole me) was turned into a vital force able to not only stand on her own two feet, but to be balanced enough to help others to stand and move along with her.

I feel totally devoid of labels like age and weight and limitations. I’ve escaped from these things breaking out of the self-imposed cell in which I’ve been living. I feel like a little kid in school opening my eyes for the first time and experiencing what life is really about.

Thank you Justin Stone, Steve Ridley, Hannah Hedrick, Linda Prosche, Carmen Brocklehurst (I have been watching you on PBS), and I look forward to meeting all my fellow TCC teachers in Denver at the TCC Conference. A grateful, dedicated new member of the TCC family.