No Teacher Conference 2020

So … teachers are are not having a T’ai Chi Chih conference this year. As you think about how you interact in your local and national TCC community, how does this make you feel? What is going through your minds? Here is my thinking journey: What?! The Minnesota community just did all this work to host the 2019 conference and no one stepped up for 2020?! What?! Are we becoming like the larger culture and want to remain in our areas, our comfort zone, not doing the work, not valuing gathering together? Why do we not value the annual conference? What?

This makes me sad, my thoughts and no conference. I have more questions and no answers. But I guess we need to work on our local outreach. Wait. I need to turn this into a positive because I am tired of negatives.

So … I did my TCC practice, sat down, settled in and asked myself, “What are your biggest concerns?” Turns out they are the continuation of TCC and opportunities we miss by not having a conference (think veteran’s outreach). How could this be turned into a positive for those concerns?

My first idea was to attend an event elsewhere but, for my concerns it didn’t really fit. My next idea was that since this is going to be a year where we do not pay to attend a conference (flights, conference fees, donations), how about donating that amount to the Foundation or the Albuquerque TCC Center or The Vital Force? Can’t do the full amount? How about $500? No? How about $100? Give as much as you can to all three entities. We could send Sandy, Pam and Daniel all over to spread TCC, or we could support The Vital Force (and the new teacher pages on taichichih.org), or we could help the Albuquerque Center reach out to more folks. Or we could sit in our comfort zone and wring our hands and let this opportunity pass by.

I am done wringing my hands, I am done waiting for Oprah to notice TCC. I am so sad for our culture, it needs TCC. If we do not value TCC, who will? So, I declare May 2020 a month of giving to T’ai Chi Chih. Ta-Da! (I picked May because it is a time of new growth here in Minnesota, it gives you time to save some money and it gets money to the three entities early in the year.) Send donations to the Foundation, the Center and The Vital Force. Send them in now. We do not want to miss any opportunities; we want to keep T’ai Chi Chih going. Will you join me?