I haven’t heard too many people praising the pandemic, but for me at least, it’s been great. I mean, I’m not fond of wearing my N-95 mask in buildings; it tickles my nose and fogs up my glasses when I talk. But these are minor problems compared to the boost it’s given my tai chi training.
Previous to Covid I’d go to two workshops a year, one in Phoenix in the winter and one in Iowa in the summer. They were excellent. Sometimes I’d even splurge on a private lesson. I’d get re-inspired every time and come home with lots of new things to practice.
But now the disease has done in the workshops I love. So, how come I’m happy with it? It’s because it’s resulted in the biggest bargain I’ve ever had in my training: four private lessons a week for $100 a month. Even though there are 30 or so people at each of Master Chen’s Zoom lessons, we’re all getting private lessons. He can see each of us on his screen and correct our mistakes both individually and as a group. It’s the best training I’ve ever had and is improving my martial arts quickly.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ll be very happy when we can go to workshops again. I miss the getaway vacation, the camping feeling and seeing all my tai chi friends in person again. But the training can be too much, too overwhelming in such a short amount of time. So, I hope the Zoom lessons don’t go away, because my progress would suffer. Private lessons four times a week are incredible; may they never end!
So, thank you, Covid 19. Yes, you’re killing lots of people and creating immeasurable sadness in the world, but at the same time the news is not all bad. For me and all the other people taking Master Chen’s Zoom lessons you’ve created the most marvelous learning opportunity. I guess I can’t think of the disease in the customary way anymore. It’s not all bad; rather it’s another yin/yang thing. There’s good balancing the bad.
