Half kimono, but a whole samurai spirit

Half warrior, half breath.

 

My spirit still stands, even when my body can’t.

 

And from that light below —

 

where nothing should shine —

 

rises my breath, entire and undefeated.

 

I still wear, now and then, the pants from my old Aikido uniform.

 

I was never a great Aikidoka, and truth be told, I never liked to fight.

 

Aikido, for me, was a beautiful game: a dance of balance, of listening, of energy flowing.

 

Then I had a serious accident, and now I can only do soft, gentle movements.

 

But something remains untouched.

 

Not the technique, not the belt, not the falls.

 

What remains is the spirit.

 

That can't be trained — and can't be taken away.

Done