Its Fleece Was White As Snow

My former boss is not a very sportive kind of guy.  Yet, like many others, he has romantic, macho fascinations about martial arts.  It is surreal to him that people can, somehow, flick others left and right.  To him, it has to be either a choreographed stunt or pure magic.  

One time, he asked me if I would throw him so that he got to experience what it was like to lose control.  "Then, you should take an Aikido class," I replied.  "I am not interested in taking a class.  I just find it hard to believe what you say.  I only want to be thrown once to experience it for myself.  I have no desire to learn Aikido." he said.  

"No." That was a no-brainer to me.  "Why not?  Just once!  I only want to be thrown once to feel it.  Can't you do it?  What does it cost you?"  He was tenacious.  "No, I can't do it for you because you would not survive."  "Oh, c'mon!  Can it really be that bad?  I don't believe it."  He rolled his eyes.  "I know you don't believe it.  However, to take a throw of the kind you are talking about and to come out unharmed, it requires skills.  Practice hard for a few years.  Then, maybe, you will be qualified to be thrown hard once."  

Over the years, I have received this sort of requests many times.  People like my boss have no idea.  It is hard enough to explain to them why their request is ludicrous.  It would be even harder if I have to explain to their families in a hospital (or a morgue) what has happened to them.  

There have been newbies to Aikido complaining that class is too slow and that the exercises are "not realistic enough" for their taste.  "Nobody is going to come at me at this speed and allow me to respond like we are doing now.  Can we practice in real speed?"  "Sure.  I can do that.  Are you ready to take it?  You signed the waiver earlier, right?  If you truly believe you can, and will assume responsibility of all possible consequences, we can try . . ." It usually takes about five seconds or so for my comment to sink in.  Suddenly, they suggest we return to practice speed.

Given the new COVID 19 lifestyle, it is really useful to be able to bake bread at home these days.  I was encouraging a friend to take up bread-making and offered to share the basic no-knead bread recipe.  "I don't want to just make some basic bread like this.  I want to make something nice and fancier."  "Have you ever baked bread?"  "No."  "So, you don't even know what the consistency of the dough should be like.  How do you know you get it right if you dive into the deep end with your first try?"  

In Hong Kong, everybody who plays the guitar knows the song "Today".  Pretty much everybody, including myself, starts with this song.  Armed with four simple chords and the most basic finger picking techniques, even a beginner can play the guitar and sing along within a short time.  It is really empowering.  

I once suggested this approach to someone who was trying to learn to play the guitar.  The idea was shot down in no time.  "I don't like this song.  I only want to play songs I like."

Millions of people around the globe, old and young, start learning to play an instrument with Mary Had A Little Lamb.  I cannot imagine anybody being infatuated with this tune.  Yet, when people finally can hit all the right notes and maintain the rhythm successfully from beginning to end, instantly, Mary Had A Little Lamb becomes their personal greatest hit.  

Mary Had A Little Lamb may not be a very sophisticated song.  However, what people do not recognize is that, when O Susanna proves to be too challenging, Mary and her Little Lamb are always there to provide the comfort and consolation we need.