Reflection on Birthday: Gratitude.
Today’s meditation is a birthday reflection.
It is my 60th birthday. According to Confucius, at 60 you know who you are and what you can offer the world. When I look back on my life, one word summarizes my feelings: gratitude.
The beginning was a challenge: I came into the world with a congenital heart condition and three uncles held as political prisoners. But my father taught me by example to extend love and kindness to his family, students, and community; my mom and entire family showed me unconditional love and unselfish support. I am grateful to them all.
At 15, I started learning taiji to deal with my congenital heart condition. I was blessed to learn from kind and generous teachers: Grandmasters Chen, Feng, Gu, Wu, Yuan, and Zhang. They taught me the movements but especially the value of martial arts virtues. Over time, the art healed my heart condition, and, more importantly, demonstrated the enormous power of hope and dedicated practice.
At 30, I came to the United States to study economics and met Mr. Jim Kellog, who started me on the path of teaching taiji in the U.S.
At 40, I went back to graduate school to study the benefits of tai chi and qigong through the lens of Western science. I remain grateful to Dr. Stephen Kaufman, who opened this door and, along with other great mentors, Dr. Karl Rosengren and Dr. Wojtek Chodzko-Zajko, guided me through the world of academia.
At 50, I moved to New York to further pursue my dream. I am grateful for the support of friends and students who helped build a solid practice sharing this ancient art. I am also grateful for the many things that I have learned from my students along the way.
As I approached 60, COVID shattered what we had built, as it had for so many. Rather than despair, I chose to concentrate on online teaching. I was surprised to learn that this platform has the potential to bring physical and mental well-being to far more people worldwide. I am grateful to an intelligent and hard-working team who believe in this cause and who remain steadfast through the many challenges we face.
Going forward, changes and challenges are inevitable. With sincere effort to align our thoughts and actions with our innate human kindness and with the nature of things, we will all be able to fully develop our potential as contributing citizens of the world.
I trust that 10 years from today, I will have a rich story to share and more things to be grateful for. I believe that you will too.
Now pick something in your life that you feel grateful for and meditate on it.
