| Women Faces Life Long Fears and Finds New Strength |
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Jennifer Roe |
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Fear, irrational fear, of aggression or confrontation, I am not sure where mine began. Whether it stems from my upbringing as a girl or from my experiences. I do know that growing up I had only a few physical confrontations with bullies; however, I never had to actually fight or defend myself. I was fortunate to have a younger brother that thought that he was my older brother and always came to my defense. Whatever the reason, I find myself cowering at the mere thought of physical altercation. I will go the extra mile to avoid confrontation and be the peacekeeper. I began Tai Chi in October. I decided to start with Tai Chi in part because I was afraid of the sparring in Kung Fu. Tai Chi challenges me to be in contact with my own energy, to focus and to be aware. I am developing strength in my legs and my balance is improving. However, it does not address that fear. In the last issue of the newsletter Master Joe had a quote regarding facing your fears and it had an impact on me. Soon after, Sifu Sheryl suggested I join the women's sparring class. My first initial reaction was to feel very sick to my stomach and to graciously decline. With the combination of the quote and the continued encouragement from Sifu Sheryl, classmates and my brother, I finally decided to try. |
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