Fencing to de-stress

I started the day with a heavy heart...not sure why, but maybe it's work stress (yes, have been trying to rush something over the weekend...even now!), or maybe it's insufficient sleep, but I felt a burden in my heart weighing me down, making me fatigued.

So when I went for fencing class today (which I had contemplated skipping), I was feeling a little lethargic. But I was glad I went. I discovered that by the end of my class, I felt more relaxed and the burden was lifted (maybe not totally, but it was lighter).

I began to see how fencing can be a good stress-reliever.
No, no. Not in the sense that I envision my "enemy" to be my opponent whom I would try to stab, but rather, during a bout, you've got to be really focused on what's happening and on your opponent, that there isn't room to think of other things. And the workout helps a bit I think, probably generating some adrenaline or whatever it is to get the body (& mind) going.

This is great. I think that's why a sport that requires more than 1 party is better than those that you can do by yourself (e.g. jogging, swimming). It keeps the mind distracted from things that bother you and with fencing (or sports that require sparring), it's more so as you wouldn't want to get hit by your opponent (it can still be a little painful even though one wears all the gear).