Movers came to take away the washing machine. On his way out, one of them turned around, nodded approvingly toward the living room, and said, “Great collection.”
Flattered, I started explaining: “Yes, these are works by the talented Ukrainian artist Hrysha ‘Hrusha’ Stolbchenko. I’ve been collecting them for many years.”
He smirked. “No, I mean your kettlebells.” Judging by his shoulders and neck, the man had once been a weightlifter or a shot putter.
His praise suddenly carried a different kind of value. Collecting art requires only taste and money. People “collect” kettlebells so they can regularly lift and haul them around.
The Book of Changes contains these words: “同聲相應，同氣相求，水流濕，火就燥...”. In one translation: “Like responds to like, and like seeks like; water flows toward what is wet, and fire moves toward what is dry...”
It’s fascinating how a shared interest builds a relationship. A second ago we were strangers. Now we weren’t. A kettlebell tells you a lot about its owner, just as a smoker’s pipe or a wrestler’s ears do.
A love of iron changes not only the body, but also the mind. When I lift a kettlebell in the morning, I feel the weight of all the tasks waiting for me. More precisely, it is the weight of my existence. Unpleasant, but I do it anyway. And in the end, I’m glad I did.
These are two different people: me before training and me after. The first is gloomy, dark, and irritated. The second is full of confidence, warmth, and enthusiasm. That transformation is worth every drop of sweat, isn’t it?
Sincerely yours,
-Alexander
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