*fwap*

They hit the pad. And I bring my head to the ground in a kowtow fashion.

I'm low on energy so I use the structural strength of my ligamens to pull me up again by spreading my shoulders and pulling them backwards creating tension then using it to push my self off the ground.

I stand for moments before it's time to bow again.

My hair brushes the dirt.

An hour later we kneel. And my knees hurt. It's been very painfull the impacts. Even with the cushion. The cushion wasn't very cushiony anyway.

I find my thoughts drifting away from all the monotonous chanting.

My knees have served me well. I use them to block my falls.

I use them to break the ground. I use them to cut speed in the event of an accident.

I know every click and angle of the sockets. I know their structural strong points.

I fell earlier this year twice. And they broke my fall twice.

And when I needed to stand while bleeding to help others they managed to hold well.

They've carried me thousands of kilometres.

They allow me to drive.

They allow me to run.

And suddenly I bow with them. And others around me kowtow with them too. About 400 times we bow. And I think everybody's knees ache.