Another chapter in my black belt quest closes and a new one begins. I resolved to reflect on my life at each belt test; determine what’s going right, identify areas of improvement, and re-align my goals to ensure I’m headed in the right direction. Today, as I don my next belt at the halfway point to my black belt (by forms learned), I’m thankful that I’m still alive (the searing pain in my left hand keeps me aware of this), able-bodied (in the best shape of my life, actually, and somehow with all my limbs attached), of sound mind (arguably at times), with a roof over my head (quite frankly the most comfortable place I’ve ever lived from the walls in), skill and resources to cook nourishing, delicious food (from experience that can rival the absolute best of steakhouses), somehow still with a very special someone who must be better at looking past the now than I am or she’d have jumped ship at this point, and still in contact — no matter how distant — with friends I hold dear (in absolutely no particular order). Read more…