I was remembering a story the other day from a few years back.
We were in the tai chi class. I’m teaching a few moves into the form. Of course we’re moving very smooth and slow. The students, in general, weren’t real experienced and still learning the tai chi sequence.
Half way into the class, this gnat began to buzz me every few minutes. I did my best to ignore it, naturally, and kept on teaching away. But the gnat began coming around me more often with shorter time lapses between. I was like — “what the heck”… “go buzz one of my school plants or something!”. hahaa……
Then, he came buzzing by again. I made a sudden flick of my hand to bump it quickly away. In that moment though, I heard all of these snapping moves behind me. And then, there was nothing but laughter.
The students, not knowing tai chi, had inadvertently thought that the quick move was part of the form and so they copied it. Not one of them missed the snapping move that I made and mirrored it perfectly!!! In a moment or so, it dawned on me what had happened: and, it dawned on them. Obviously, there is no snapping move in the form but how were they to know? When I told them I was just chasing a gnat away, they laughed themselves to cheek-aches.
We continued training tai chi but without the “extra move”. At least they have a new “gnat technique” so not all is lost. LoL
I know it’s a silly story but I wanted to share one of our lighter moments in the school.
