One of the tenets of taekwondo is indomitable spirit. Put simply, this is the value of never giving up. This winter is now officially the snowiest on record for the city of Boston, and also the coldest. In the past 30 days over 100 inches of snow have fallen in Cambridge and the arctic temperatures have meant no melt. The city’s transit system is struggling and everyone is having difficulties with ice, roof and house damage, and nowhere to put their cars streets that are clogged with six-foot high snowbanks.

But the people of this area never give up. Here near Porter Square, neighbors have helped each other dig out the sidewalks. I was having trouble freeing my car from blocks of plowed-in ice and a man with a metal shovel appeared, scraped the hard frozen areas free that my plastic snow shovel couldn’t do, and then he went on his way.

General Choi used to say that working out in the snow would help build tenacity in students. I don’t think this was quite what he had in mind, though.

It is a difficult time, but we will get through it. I try to look on the bright side: at least shoveling snow is a good upper body and cardio workout. Spring will eventually come. Until then, don’t give up!