Pandamonium and coming home

I stopped by the kwoon for the first time in what feels like years when in fact it's been over a year since I left Stony Plain for Winnipeg to pursue a dream of business ownership. 

My life for the past year can be described by one word and one phrase.  The word is "perseverance" and the phrase is "figure it out".  I can write every day for a year about how these two things have come to describe my life and that of my families, especially this past year.  In future blog posts I will share some specific events that have taken place this past year that has truly defined these two things for me.

One thing that has remained constant throughout this year is SRKF and I havent even trained or placed a single step inside the kwoon for over a year.  It's always on my mind and it's truly part of my soul.  The thing that has allowed me to stay in touch with the kwoon has been the blogging by the I Ho Chaun team and Sifu Brinker's blog and yet no one even knew it...no one knew how important it was to me. 

I would look forward to seeing Sifu's blog land in my inbox.  I was the one thing (other than my immediate family) that kept me connected with home.  Those that have trained at SRKF can understand when I refer to the kwoon as my my home.  I would cruise over to the SRKF website and see who had posted thier blog there for me to read.  Sometimes it was disappointing to see that no one had posted for over a month.  I would read everyone of the blogs to see how everyone was doing and seeing the struggles and the success they they had experienced.  I can't articulate enough how important blogging is.  Not only do I understand now how important it is to share these journies when we write them but it's just as important to the lost souls who depend on them to stay connected and engaged, even if you don't ever see the impact on them.

This last week for me has been one of the best ones that I have had in such a long time.  I spent some great time with my family.  I had a great day with my adult daughter and a great little lunch spot that has become "ours".  I reconnected with my good friend Kevin Lindstrom for coffee this week.  I had lunch with Shau Lietz whom I hadn't seen in over a year.  And I got to see my family again at this year's Pandamonium.  It's like I had never left. 

Finally the best news I have to share is that I am moving back to Stony Plain by mid June.  I'm going to be coming back to resume my training and I couldn't be happier!

See everyone on the mats very soon.

Mr. Ian Repay