In Our Weakness We Receive Strength

    The Piano Guy, my husband, has some new hobbies which involve teaching some new skills to the grandkids. It might have been inspired by a segment in the movie "Parent Trap".

  In the movie the two sisters do some fencing at summer camp. Of course their moves are highly choreographed and over the top exciting. He brought out the gear on a recent visit while we were babysitting.

   There is an amazing feeling of power that comes into a child when they have a foil in their hand. Power without purpose or direction. The Piano Guy has a high security ethic and so the combatants had to be dressed in the full protective gear. This, of course was cumbersome and awkward.
   "I want to fight without the gloves," one insisted.
    "No, the armor covers those parts of your body which could easily be hurt," said the kind Grandpapa.

The two youngest were obedient and had a friendly match using some techniques that helped them be defensive while the Grandpapa came towards them.

The two oldest watched and a certain swagger grew inside the oldest as she began goading her brother. The image of the movie played before her and she recited some of the lines which started a smoldering resentment in her brother. 

" I am not wearing the second glove," said the brother defiantly.

"Then you must keep your hand behind your back," the Grandpapa said firmly.

The combat began slowly and elegantly until an offensive move by the sister scraped the exposed hand of her brother. A howl grew out of his chest and the offended brother reacted without caution threw the foil pointblank at his sister. Now there were two children crying and hurling angry words at each other and the Grandpapa closed up shop.

Power does not come from having a foil, it comes from understanding our weakness and listening to the words of our master. If protection is provided then using it, in submission, even if we are unaccustomed to it's weight and purpose is the right path. We must understand our weakness to receive strength.