I did push-ups, sit-ups and squats. It was both difficult and nice to get back into the weekday exercise schedule. On Saturday, instead of running for twenty minutes, I walked on the treadmill for sixty minutes with a steeper than usual incline. Leilani and I talked on the phone for most of my walk. It was fun. That hour felt much shorter than my usual twenty minute run.
Speaking of which, I need to run today!
Sensei sent me an article on the most common ways that COVID-19 can spread, written by Erin Bromage, who recently taught a course on infectious diseases to undergraduates, and offers practical advice on staying safe during this pandemic. Here’s the link:
https://www.erinbromage.com/post/the-risks-know-them-avoid-them
It’s sobering. I sent it to D, my husband, who sent it to other family members. Dr. Bromage expresses some concerns over loosening restrictions for economic recovery without any treatments available for the disease.
At the beginning of California’s lockdown, D started reading Albert Camus’s “the Plague.” D really found it intense and a particularly good read during this pandemic.
I have to admit that, after reading and fining “the Stranger” very disturbing, I have avoided reading any more Camus. Yes, I know it’s supposed to be disturbing. I’ve experienced plenty of disturbing outside of literature, however. Yes, I do agree that good art will often depict what is disturbing in human nature; simple observation will, too.
In order to keep your own will in tact and discover both joy and beauty on this frightening Earth, you have to pace yourself. To do that, you need to know and be honest with yourself. In short, when you are feeling dizzy, don’t look over the edge of the cliff. Wait until your stomach, mind and feet feel steady and grounded, then seek the view with caution, respecting your own strength and minding both your footing and the weather conditions when you peer over the edge.
Kyokushin is loosely translated as “absolute truth.” In Sensei’s dojo, we interpret it more as “the search for absolute truth or reality,” since none of us, ultimately, actually have or can grasp that absolute reality. If we are disciplined, open to change, and we keep searching, we come much closer to grasping it.