Woof! With weekends like this last one, who needs work days? Don't get me wrong, it was mostly enjoyable, just long. It really started Friday with the Tux measurements and the rehearsal dinner and then it ran over into Saturday with the picking up of said Tux and then the subsequent wedding. There were a few minor blips on the trouble radar, but nothing that wasn't handled quickly and efficiently by the people near by.

Standing up in said wedding was actually pretty decent. The ceremony was kept to a pleasant brevity and the dinner following was excellent. Also (thank you, Groom), there were no "forced" dances.

Sunday dawned far too early with a TKD belt promotion test in the early afternoon. After working with a student before hand to make sure he was ready, I found myself at the appointed place, chatting with a few people here and there and reassuring some of my students that, yes, in fact they were ready to test. The ceremony was going along fairly well until the high-white belts were about to execute their breaks. As I recall, the first two or three had broken and the third was about to do likewise when we were interrupted by the "necessity" of finding shelter during a Tornado "warning". I'm still not sure it was a warning, but we all trundled down into the basement and sat around or walked around as the mood suited. I don't think we were down there more than 20 minutes before they let us return to our room and resume our examinations.

I am proud to say that my students did well as did most of the folk testing. One of my best students took the first place trophy, an honor I have personally believed that he has deserved for some time. I'm glad he was awarded said trophy. He's been having some issues showing his parents the returns that he gets from practicing this art form. Now, at least, he can show them that he's doing well.

The most impressive break was executed by an individual testing for his 4th Dan. He executed a back spinning side kick through 5 boards. He wanted to do 6 but no one had large enough hands to hold all six boards at the same time. He broke them all on the first try.

After the exam, I took a few of my students out to dinner to say goodbye for the summer, in so doing foregoing the honor to sit at the head table hosted by our Grand Master. I really felt it important to let them know how much they have meant to me by taking the time to practice with me.

Monday was supposed to be a vacation day and I did manage to get a little more sleep but still managed to get called into work. Oh well. Servers will be servers.

In darkness, there lies a strength and in purity, there also lies a strength. There are those that would say that one must choose a path, either of light or of dark. I disagree. Grey is far better than either, for it is composed of both the light and the dark. ("We stand between the candle and the starlight.") And, since there is truly (as far as I can tell) nothing that is utter blackness and nothing that is truly pure, is it not better to acknowledge this and embrace it rather than to fight day in and day out, trying to define the line between right and wrong? All that the struggle will bring is madness and disappointment. Everything is a shade of grey, every action, every thought, every deed is a different shade of grey, depending on one's perspective and intent.

Ah, the rain has started again. May it come to us as needed for as long as life inhabits this planet.

Blessed Be.