Total Control

Reverse buggy whip at last. ^_^

Was walking to the nearby hawker centre to get some food and I heard someone playing the piano. Surprisingly the pianist was quite good.

Reminded me of the days back in school when I held auditions for the piano ensemble. We had only so few slots for the performance team and I remember how difficult it was to tell some of them that they didn't make the cut.

But I could tell from their playing if this person had what it takes to perform in front of an audience.

Amateur musicians are usually shy people. Technical skills aside, to play a piece or movement effectively you must dare to portray your emotion in the piece. Being able to snap into that zone, to portray sadness, anger, power or joy in an instant so close to feeling it. Many people can not do so. They think that their emotions must be authentic and true.

Perhaps they are right. Control over this aspect proves to allow one to be able to become any passage in the movement. But ironically, if overdone may rob one of the very essence of what it is to be human and to feel things authentically.

Often I find the similarities in application to sports. There are always those who cannot get into the set with the right aggression and zest. Others pour out their emotions so much you can't help but worry for them.

Perhaps for me, this aspect was always easy. In secondary school I was lucky enough to fight my way into the spex youth squad for taekwondo. Back then it was simple. If you're not going to take things seriously, be passive or act like a pansy, you're going to just die in a practice spar. TKD is an extremely popular sport and we trained with the best from around the country. Coaches from overseas to hold special training sessions and even training overseas. The fighters in the squad were dead serious about the sport.

You didn't have to fly into a furious rage in a match... you learn to be aggressive for each attack, while remaining calm and in control. Many people have no idea what focused power can accomplish. All these years dragonboating I have seen huge strong rowers whom although are strong, don't know the first thing about this concept. Others sadly overcompensate with outbursts of emotion, or so they think.

That zone of complete control. So few know of it, even less achieve it.

The dumbest part of this is that once you get it, you're often left with regret.