# Memory lane



## Aikikitty (Dec 19, 2008)

Greetings,

I know that there have been threads in the past about keeping a journal about your martial art journey. I haven't written in mine since late 2004, but I used to write a lot. I found my Aikido journal and I started reading it from the beginning several days ago. There were so many things that I had completely forgotten about! Being female, I like detail and I wrote more about the people in the class, and my thoughts and emotions than I did about what techniques we did on which particular day (I did do that some though). I've really enjoyed reading again about my first class, learning "new" techniques, seminar experiences, the funny things sensei said in class, how much I loved Nikkyo, but hated Irimi Nage (20 year version) with a passion until it finally "clicked" one day. But it's also been such an encouragement to see how much I've progressed and grown in technique and character since I began at 18 years old.

But so much has changed since then! For years we had more of less the same instructors and fellow students coming, trained in the same location, etc. Our head sensei is still here and teaching, but "my" main sensei who taught us for the first 4 years left due to personal problems (we were very close to him), Katrina blew out the building our dojo was in and we've trained in 2 other schools since, and more importantly, Katrina forced many of the students to relocate elsewhere. Also because of the storm and losing that instructor who taught the weeknight classes, we went from 3 classes a week to just 1 (still way better than nothing). I never would have imagined that all those changes would have (or could have) occured. People (friends) in my class I've known for years who were the most faithful and dedicated and seemed the type to still be practicing Aikido at the age of 80, have either quit or moved away. :vu: 

I know I'm not the only one this has happened to. Things happen, people move, or quit, etc. What have you've seen happen? What big changes have you gone through in your journey? Was there a certain technique you used to struggle with that can now do well? Do you remember your first class?

Reading my journal again has made me want to get back into writing in it. I'll have to at least update it first.

Robyn :asian:


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## Aikikitty (Feb 5, 2009)

The Opal Dragon said:


> Greetings,
> 
> I know I'm not the only one this has happened to. Things happen, people move, or quit, etc. What have you've seen happen? What big changes have you gone through in your journey? Was there a certain technique you used to struggle with that you can now do well? Do you remember your first class?
> 
> Robyn :asian:


 
Come on people! I know at least one of you out there must have something to share.  Let's have some more activity in the Aikido forum. 

Robyn


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## seasoned (Feb 5, 2009)

I feel that your enthusiasm needs to be addressed J . I have spent a life time in the art of Okinawan GoJu, and can relate to a lot of changes over the years, as you have also. Although I dont train in Aikido, I had an awesome opportunity to be introduced to it by a friend of mind. We had many a good workout over the better part of a year, with sharing, and talking about parallels we discovered between our arts, while training.


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## morph4me (Feb 6, 2009)

My first class was twenty something years ago,I+ had trained in KuKiDo and Goju and had stared to trian in Kung fu in the dojo that also taught aikido. The Kung Fu instructor and Aikido instructor had a falling out and the Kung Fu instructor left. We  were given a choice of going with him or staying in the dojo and training aikido. The dojo was very convenient and the classes fit my schedule, so I stayed. The classes were small, because the dojo was new. I was a little hesitant at first, because my focus has always been self defense and I wasn't sure that Aikido was going to fill the bill, until the first time I felt a technique that made me not want to fight back. Up to that point when I got hit all I wanted to do was hit back, when my wrist was locked up, all I wanted was for sensei to let me go, that's when I knew I found a home.


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