Setting intentions

It is hard to believe but around this time two years ago I was stepping onto the mat at Aikido of Santa Cruz for the first time. I was full of anticipation and excitement, and had little idea what to expect. I had taken one Aikido PE class during college a year earlier that was incredibly fun, energetic and challenging-- yet I still had little conception of the art, its history or its practice. Before the first class I purchased my first gi, tied my belt in a loose and lop-sided knot, and sat awkwardly in its stiff bulkiness awaiting instruction.
I could never have imagined what has unfolded for me. And as I celebrate my growing commitment to the art, I thought that I would like to have a forum for myself to explore the incredible lessons I've learned, and continue to learning daily, both on and off the mat.
I'm not really sure why I feel this urge, but it seems that I just can't stop thinking about aikido. I hope to deepen my experience of it and connect it to other parts of my life- a direction it is already going. I also hope that if I am still training in (however many) years, this document will serve as an diary of the path I have navigated, the challenges, areas of growth, and occasions for celebration. Anway, we'll see what it becomes, undoubtedly this will change like everything else.