Initially, this was not my thing. After a whole year of cajoling, badgering and exhorting the virtues of the learning to kick someone’s butt properly, Rocco, my husband, finally persuaded me to join the martial arts school he was attending. The school was 40 miles away. Yikes! Being the only other adult female in the class, disturbing. So I grabbed Little Sister, because I’m a chicken, and forced her to go with me.
Rocco loving the art so completely decided he would one day become an instructor and open his own school. I wholeheartedly supported his entrepreneur ambitions and helped part time in the evenings by signing up students, selling equipment and office work.
By this time, working at the bank (my full time job) was sucking all of the life out of me. I worked there for twenty years. What was once an engaging, fulfilling, and comfortable life as a banker became a dreary, anxiety filled, demanding, and demeaning life as a tool.
The final straw came at a manager’s meeting. When one of the manager’s complained that he hadn’t seen his toddler daughter for four months, the president of the company told him so what? In essence it was either a choice between family time versus building a career. I was shocked, but not surprised. I thought of my own son, now twelve and realized I didn’t have much time left with him.
After a whole year of cajoling, badgering and exhorting the virtues of teaching others how to kick someone’s butt properly, Rocco finally persuaded me to join his martial arts school full time. So here I am at the age of fifty, teaching children classes and I have been doing that for the last nine years.
My lifestyle has changed completely. I was with my son and husband blissfully living life our way together. Good people who love their children, who live life well, and live life with love, surround me. I get to play everyday with kids of all ages, especially my 4-6 year olds. Rocco, David and I have built a community of students and friends that support and encourage each other. Over half of them have been with us for over a decade. We try to make a difference in the lives of our students, to gain the confidence they need to live life to its full potential and to live it without fear.
This is my little piece of heaven on earth.
1 comment:
What a great start to your blog! I hope that sharing your experinces with the world will be fun and enriching for you - I know it will be helpful to your readers.
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