stalled

Another precious part of my female owner's life stalled today - the aikido part. She attended her final lesson in Singapore. It was easier to bear than expected. Previously, she teared quite badly at the farewell dinner her aikido friends arranged for her. And that was at the mere reminder that she would not be able to train with one of them after the following Tuesday as the friend would be gone for holidays until my female owner leaves. When that Tuesday came, my female owner teared again after class, when that friend stood next to her, coz she knew it was that the last time they would train together.

I guess my female owner has succeeded in building a thick wall of defense around her. So although she knew that logically she should feel sad, emotionally, she had conquered her sadness and sense of loss.

Or was it just a weak facade?

The final lesson was not as unceremonious as the last flute lesson or her last day at work though. Her beloved aikido instructor called her out at the end of class to ukemi (i.e. attack him, so that she would receive the techniques) him, using the attacking technique which she is most afraid of (she always get scolded when executing that move). After being thrown around by him, her aikdio instructor presented her with a gift (very sweet of him, coz he had earlier played a big part in the farewell party). At the end of class, he took a class photo and despite her being more junior than other women (photo-taking for aikido classes also has a senior-to-junior/ women kneel in front arrangement protocol), got her to sit close to him, as he regarded her as a "guest".