I have a friend who has just started studying Katori which includes the art of Iai-do – a Japanese martial art related to the sport of Kendo. Kendo, which means literally ‘the way of the sword’, is actually a relatively new art. Iai-do, which does not translate quite so literally, is considerably older. The best translation of Iai-do would probably be ‘the way of drawing the sword’. Though given the long lapse in my use of Japanese its derivation is certainly somewhat more complicated than that. It can be traced back to a master swordsman of the sixteenth century, Hayashizaki Jinsuke Minamoto Shigenoubu. The key to Iai-do is the drawing of your sword in combination with a fatal cutting stroke against an opponent. A cutting stroke because Japanese swords are designed, unlike European weapons like the rapier and its modern successor in fencing competition the epee, to slash rather than thrust. In Iai-do in one single practised action you go from a sitting or standing position, draw your sword and strike your opponent – preferably killing him. The key to Iai-do is two things – absolute focus and perfect balance. Without both the art is impossible to master. Iai-do is a lot like life in its requirements for mastery.

I am, at heart, somewhat of a romantic. Perhaps sometimes cynical. A tad bitter on occasion and suffering from occasional bouts of depression. But I believe there is good and love in the heart of most of humanity. I believe that human good and love has power over much of the evils of our nature. I also believe expression of that love gives people power over much of the evil humans inflict on each other. So I love everyone I can. I love my other half Lucinda. She represents all that is beautiful and good to me. I love my parents, my sister, my friends. I love people who live in my past – Joh, Amy, Anna, Saf and many others. I love in the here and now too – Benita, Zac, Gillian, Marcus, Den, Brett, Brent and most recently my friend Jessica. I’d like to think that love has some power. That is a good and that it means something. But I am, at heart, somewhat of a romantic.