COMBAT SPORTS | RUNNING | YOGA | MEDITATION | WRITING
You shall leave everything you love most dearly: this is the arrow that the bow of exile shoots first. You are to know the bitter taste of others' bread, how salt it is, and know how hard a path it is for one who goes descending and ascending others' stairs. —Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy:… Continue reading NINE MINUTES IN THE FIFTH SPHERE (LIFE ON MARS)
Prior to stepping in the ring yesterday to face a woman of wonder who kept me on my toes (more on that in a forthcoming post), I wrote an email to several members of my girl gang. This particular group is comprised of four fantastic women who, rightfully, have lifetime memberships in the tribe I'm… Continue reading AN OPEN LETTER TO MY CORNER
Reality sets in when you hit week seven. The number is an uncomfortable reminder of how rapidly the days meld into one another. By this point, you liken yourself to a feckless deer at the edge of a clearing—minding your business, looking for cover. But if you are a deer then time is a huntsman.… Continue reading REALITY CHECK AT SEVEN WEEKS
Pandora's Box is open. This post is a narrative summary of my first (real) nine minutes in the ring. Coach has a way of tricking you into things. He does it all the time, luring in his charges by playing off some ridiculously, intense exercise as a modified workout. Or by slapping a nonchalant look… Continue reading INSIDE PANDORA’S BOX
SIX WEEKS EARLIER It is dawn when you decide to get in the ring and spar. There is no logic behind your decision. The urge arises as the beep of your alarm fades. You swing your feet over the edge of the bed and reach your arms overhead, trying to offset the soreness caused by too… Continue reading BABY’S FIRST HEADGEAR
NOT MADE OF GLASS 