As a way to bring in the new year, the boy’s aikido teacher leads a group of students in a New Years Misogi. We met up at the lighthouse at Point No Point and prepared for a plunge into the icy waters.
Our guys were the youngest of the group, with only a couple other older kids there and the rest of the group adults.
The boys went with the group and took the big plunge! I couldn’t believe they went through with it, but they did. When they got out of the water, they were FROZEN. The worst part was that their feet hurt and nothing we did seemed to help. The were all in tears and we were really questioning whether or not this was the right thing for us to have them do. Sensei Chris came over and told them how proud he was that they did it and reassured us that even though it was hard, they would warm up and feel great about what they had just accomplished. It was quite touching, though, because a couple of the adults (who had also just come out of the frigid water) came over to try to warm the boys up and offered up their own blankets and towels to help.
When we got the guys into the van, got their wet swim trunks off and warm clothes back on and they started to feel good again, I looked back and saw Carlos grinning. The pride he felt was intense and it showed. Chris came over to the van and chatted with them again before he left and we made plans to go to Nana and Papa’s for a bath and something warm to drink.
So glad we made the trip and so, so proud of my boys!