The Challenge of Letting Go

A few weeks after the lesson on giving and receiving, Jiro Sensei introduced a new exercise: a blindfolded walk across the dojo. The goal was simple—trust the orb to guide her.

Mina tied the cloth over her eyes, her heart pounding. “How will it know where to go?”

“It doesn’t,” Jiro said. “But it will respond to your intent. Together, you’ll find the path.”

The orb hovered close as Mina took her first step, her arms outstretched. The wooden floor creaked beneath her, each sound amplified by her lack of sight.

“Trust,” Jiro reminded her.

She hesitated, her mind racing. What if the orb led her into a wall? What if she tripped?

The orb pulsed gently, sensing her unease. Its light grew warmer, a silent reassurance. Mina took another step, then another, each one more confident than the last.

Halfway across the room, she misjudged her footing and stumbled. The orb darted forward, nudging her arm to steady her. She froze, her breath catching.

“It’s okay,” Jiro said softly. “Keep going.”

Mina exhaled slowly, her grip on control loosening. She allowed the orb’s guidance to weave with her own movements, their connection growing more intuitive. When she reached the other side, she pulled off the blindfold, her face lit with triumph.

Jiro’s smile was faint but approving. “Trust isn’t about knowing everything. It’s about being willing to move forward together, even when you don’t.”