April 10, 2008

• Being Present

  "You cannot box without committing yourself to being awake in your body; you cannot box without committing yourself to caring.  There is nothing nihilistic about boxing.  It is the opposite of cool.  There is no room for charade, no time for equivocation.  Boxing is a graphic confession of the desire to remain present and to persevere."

  "A long time ago I'd made a wrong turn and linked up freedom with abnegating the body.  Not such an unusual mistake, not for women, not for girls.  I'd had great hope in it, actually.  If only I could undo the knot binding self to flesh.  I'd had some success loosening it.  I just hadn't quite figured out how to take that further step when I walked into the boxing gym, more or less by accident, and, not having words for anything yet, not understanding anything yet, I responded in a way that would force me to question all I thought I knew about being a woman."

  • 8:08 am
  • 3 Comments