Trying to win the sword

The martial artist who recruits the most new members to the school will win a beautiful sword. I've always been fascinated by the weapon, and would be overjoyed to own one. I have asked everyone I know if they would like to train in tae kwon do or hapkido. I would like to recruit a couple young people so that they could train for many years. A recent high school graduate told my sister and her husband how much the discipline and principles of tae kwon do had influenced the development of his character. Everyone is supportive of each other, and a student quickly develops a feeling of belonging. Yesterday, one of my friends, sat in on a class. She is amazingly flexible and talented.

Caught Myself!

Yesterday afternoon, I researched "gentleness." To be gentle I must: control my temper, master mood and feelings, check irritation, be patient, thoughtful, charitable, desire to do good deeds and grow in unselfishness and empathy. I caught myself three times today and corrected my attitude, reaction and verbal response.

Of Gentleness

Some time during the last few days, I have decided to do away with negative thoughts, and to view all things (even the not so happy events) in a positive way. I will be more grateful for the gifts and talents that I have. Yesterday evening, a friend described me as gentle. No one wants to be gentle in this day and age. Gentleness is seen as a weakness. Is it possible to succeed with gentleness as a personality quirk? Of all the personality traits that I would like to possess, gentleness is my least favorite. Today during the homily at church, the presider looked me in the eye and said, "If gentleness is your gift, use it, capitalize on it, make the most of it."

The Rose

Searching in the large walk-in cooler, I discovered two packages of roses. One package contained very pale pink roses--Sweet Akito. The other roses were a bit darker with rosy outer petals. They are known as Ohara. When I opened the Ohara roses, a sweet rose fragrance emanated from the package. I removed the roses and arranged them in their designer container to put in the front cooler. I was completely shocked when i found a rose on the floor--broken off the stem. I went around the store inviting everyone to smell the lovely rose fragrance. I then put the rose in a small vase on the counter.Several hours later a customer came in and we chatted. I turned around to bring the rose so she could smell the fragrance, when I discovered that the rose was gone. One of my coworkers had thrown the beautiful fragrant rose away.

Discovering free e-books

I enjoy sitting on the deck and perusing a good book. Recently I have discovered free e books. I simply download them to my Asus tablet and begin reading. Now, after reading a page or two, I discover why some of them are free! (In fact, I should be paid for reading them). I've read a post Civil War book set in Boston, a semi comedic novel in which the main character escapes and gets recaptured eight or ten times from undercover agents, a truly wonderful children's book about a girl who finds things. The author included "things to find" at the end of the book.

Intensity

Since I can't focus my energy on public relations, marketing and merchandising at the branch flower shop, and I really could care less about the main store, I am going to focus my energy and intensity on hapkido. I will promote to 1st gup in the next few months. My instructor told me today that I need to increase intensity to improve flexibility--to go to the point of pain and even more pain. I get maybe 3 important letters in a year. I've asked my husband to let me open them in my own time. Today I came home from work and he had opened a letter. It makes me want my own apartment. If I tell him that I feel sad when he opens my mail, he will become angry, even tho, to my way of thinking, it is my mail and I should be able to open it when I wish.

Day Off!

The sun is shining. and it is breezy. I squirted the outside table with the garden hose, and took some dishsoap and elbow grease to the winter grime. Certainly not perfectly clean but much improved. I dragged the new deck chairs up from the basement, downloaded a free e book and and am enjoying a nice read in the summer sunshine. I worked out earlier, and started the laundry. It is my day off!

Staying Positive

I had hoped to pack my tent in my car, and spend a few days at a nearby campground. I couldn't go because my husband was uncomfortable staying home alone. My sister knew that I needed a break and invited me out to her house on the lake to see her new flower beds and to have some lunch--a delicious hummus wrap, cantaloupe and green tea. Perhaps it is a good thing that I am working at the main store. My coworker's daughter was ill and she couldn't come to work. The President of the company is stressed. This is the season for weddings, he is looking for a new location for the branch store, his back is painful and his car needs $1200 repair job. It's hard to stay positive when there are so many things going wrong.