A taste of parkour again

Yesterday I organized a training session for some of the guys here in Nanjing to come to, just to all train together as well as just try and talk to them about parkour and show them basic things that they can keep drilling.
About 10 people turned up and although some were starting off with 10+ft drops, it wasnt too long until they began to understand basics a bit more. Also had a guy there who was 30 with 20 yrs of wushu under his belt, so when he started doing drops etc, i just said i didnt think it was best to start off with, but left him to it because he has 5 times more experience than me at his chosen discipline, so fair play!

Well, there is this cat pass to a tree that has been taunting me for a few months here, and I have put it off through a lot of excuses, and just not wanting to give it a go.
But that day I really felt was the day i needed to finally do it. Its about a 8/9 ft drop from the cat pass to the floor, and about 7ft or so across, so it was daunting for me because cat passing from speed to a tree is much more unpredictable than walls etc, plus the grip was kinda hugging two big branches.
The past few months of my training here has almost exclusively been drills and strength training, which has really paid off, especially with my touch, so I hadn't pushed myself to do something daunting for a while. As such, training was on occasion enjoyable, and often quite a chore, especially partly because I train solo 9/10 times and the weather here is much colder now. Not really something too off putting usually, but I didn't realise how good it is to train with other people which I have been used to having access to back in the UK of people similar to myself.
Either way, after deciding to commit to doing the catpass, it took me about 2 or so minutes to go for it, which really suprised me! I just had so much clarity while looking at it, and just ran without hesiatation to try it, something which usually doesnt happen as people who train often with me know that I can over-analyse things too much somethimes. The first attempt I crashed into the tree because off coming down into the landing it was extremely hard to stick due to the angle of force. I went on to try it another 4/5 times, picking up some tasty grazes and bruises until i finally nailed it by sticking my foot into a v-shaped divet which i thought was too high for me to get.

Anyway, the whole point of this is the feeling I got from it, it was a bonus that I stuck it, but the whole process of having to push myself and failing over and over but to keep trying is something i have really missed from parkour, a really familiar but long-ago feeling of raw parkour, having to really use what I have been training to accomplish it. I was just reminded of why I love parkour so much and how it has helped me grow and how something so intrinsic as moving has so much value. It also made me think that people should forget about materialistic things, and really invest in things that are intrinsic in your mind and body, like writing, art, singing, language, etc.....things that are with you 24/7 and you can unlock whenever you want, this is why I love parkour and moving. Sometimes I just need a reminder.

So if you are going through a slow patch or are discourgaed, just stay on the grind and dont give up, nothing worth having comes easily!

PS: Check out this link:
http://www.simpleliving.net/content/custom_garden_of_simplicity.asp

Peace