Saturday 7 September 2019

Why do it in public?

I saw a very weird thing as I left church last Sunday. There's a park opposite the church and at 9:00 in the morning on a Sunday it is always empty. Not last Sunday.

There, in the green just by the road, there was this man dressed in a martial arts type costume, doing all sorts of funny movements as if he was dancing in very slow motion, or touching invisible things in the air.

I nearly, crashed the car. I stopped and looked at him for a few minutes. He continued undisturbed.

I was told it is Tai Chi. A martial art practiced for both its defence training, its health benefits and meditation.

Good ... I have nothing against that.

But why practice it in full view of everyone in a park? Does this man not have a garden of his own? Or a room in his house, or apartment, where he can Tai Chi to his heart's content?

Why do it in public?

Is he trying to impress passers-by? Or has he lost his way home and trying to visualise a map out of thin air?

I would understand if it was a group of people practicing together in a park, or trying to recruit newcomers to their cause. But there he was; all alone. Exercising in his lonesome. Perhaps his friends don't like him and they directed him to the wrong park. They are all in town practicing together and off to the pub afterwards.

Anyway ... this reminded me of another similar incident that happened to me in Bournemouth, (South of England), a year or so ago.

I was staying in a small hotel, (about ten rooms), not far from the seaside. My room was on the ground floor opposite a beautiful garden facing the road.

I got up early in the morning and having got dressed, I drew back the curtains and opened the window to air the room a bit whilst I went for breakfast. 

A couple of minutes or so later, after I drew back the curtains, there was this young woman outside my window wearing a very skimpy and very tight almost see-through leotard.

She placed a mat on the grass and then proceeded to do her exercises.
Like the man in the park, she stretched her arms and legs in different positions. Then she sat on the ground and bent her arms and legs around her body. She balanced upside down. And continued with a series of exercises.

I stood there transfixed watching her. She was oblivious of me watching her, or she might have seen me and did not care anyway. The distance between me and her was no more than ten feet.

I don't know whether it was Tai Chi, or Yoga, or any other kind of yogurt!

I did try Yoga once before and had resolved not to do it ever again. The intention was that by getting into all the different positions one would learn to relax and become more supple in body and mind. Rather than become more supple I discovered that my legs and arms became entangled and I was more disjointed than ever before. The only thing I had learnt from that yoga session was how to hold on to a fart for a long period of time.

Anyway ... there I stood watching this woman outside my window not knowing whether to go for breakfast or stay there watching. In life, we often have to make difficult decisions on the spot of the moment.

After fifteen minutes or so, probably longer, she picked up her mat and left.

At breakfast I did mention to the owner of the small hotel, as he was serving us, that I had someone outside my window in full view of everyone in the street.

Yes, he said, she'd been a guest for a couple of days or so, and every morning she does her exercises outside the front room window.

I decided to stay in Bournemouth a few days longer.

16 comments:

  1. THese people just want to be seen so I think you had an obligation to watch.

    I often see these people just showing off. Our parks are full of joggers. WHy cant these show-offs just run around their house? I do it all the time, from the bedroom to the bathroom.

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    1. We seem to be two of a kind, JoeH. I agree. I felt obliged to watch from my hotel window. At one point I got tired standing so I sat in a nearby armchair.

      I really cannot understand this public exhibitionism. We have joggers here too in our streets all the time. They cross the road without care because they do not want to interrupt their stride; and it's dangerous when you're driving.

      God bless you.

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  2. I don't understand this type of behavior either, Victor, unless these folks are simply lonely and want the attention of others. If that is the case, it is sad, indeed. Who knows? Maybe the young lady knew you were watching, and in the long run, it made her feel better.
    Blessings!

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    1. I understand what you mean, Martha. The lady in the hotel, according to the hotel owner, she'd been there a couple of days before my arrival, and she did her exercises in the front garden in full view of the street the two previous mornings. The hotel owner had seen her the first day and left her to it. He thought it was odd behaviour too.

      God bless you, Martha.

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  3. I just don't think it's a big deal to fuss over. Maybe she wants attention, obviously she's getting it form the people who are watching. Personally, I would rather do something like that in the privacy of my home.
    It reminds me of a time when my wife and I were walking on a backroad and this guy, when he saw us approaching began to do pushups on the ground. We passed him and laughed wondering what was that all about. There are always people who want attention and some of us give it to them, some of us don't and like us, we just laughed. It was funny and odd. :)

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    1. You're right. They just want attention. There's nothing wrong in doing exercises. But why do it in public. Apart from jogging, other exercises can be done in a gym or at home.

      God bless, Bill.

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  4. While i get that someone might want to be close to nature during exercise, there is such a thing as discretion.

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  5. Good to know I'm not the only one standing on the sidelines, scratching my head. Even some pharmaceuticals' (TV) commercials have begun to feature Tai Chi(-ists). What one has to do with the other escapes me.

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    1. I too don't see the connection with pharmaceutical products. The world is getting too confusing these days.

      God bless you, Mevely.

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  6. Or a successful hotel marketing strategy for encouraging guests to extend their stay:)

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    1. I never thought of that, Chris. What an idea.

      God bless you always.

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  7. Just tell your wife that you enjoyed the view but not what the view was. Next time stay in a place that has more than one floor and ask for a room at the top...this way you will stay out of trouble :)

    God's Blessings 💮

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    1. I understand your advice, Jan. But why did she, and other people, feel the need to exercise in public?

      God bless.

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  8. I think Mimi may be right when she says that when people do Tai Chi by doing it outside they feel closer to nature... but these days it seems there are many who want/need to be in the public eye. Times are changing and not always for the better.

    Enjoy your weekend.

    All the best Jan

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    1. I agree entirely about the need to be closer to nature, Jan. I often go in the garden and do nothing. Just stand there, and watch. But I wonder whether that woman in the hotel had that in mind. Times are changing, as you say.

      Happy weekend. God bless.

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