Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Day 733: How did you get into that?




junk mail collage



A dear lady, who I greatly respect, asked ...
 "How did you get into that?"
That, meaning karate. 
And that has been asked a lot.





Me, always looking for the next blog, thought 
this may be in the TMI category, but okay?





Earliest memory ... at age 8 ... fascinated, 
seeing men in white suits doing something (?)
inside a store-front on Sunset Boulevard, 
as my Dad drove us to the Ontra Cafeteria.
I didn't know what they were doing or why ...
but I wanted to know more even then.







Each trip, I would perk up blocks ahead, ready to peek in.
This keen interest remained on the back burner
 for the next 22 years, with no option to discover more.







Later, living & teaching in Riverside, I took classes at UCR.
A strong karate program was growing ... and I was hooked.
I trained five nights a week, plus four hours on Saturday.
This was after teaching junior high school all day.
There weren't many women then, no concessions were made.
I wasn't skilled, but I loved it and I still do.
That's the how.





 The why is more important.
For forty three years I have studied traditional Japanese karate.
Originally, Shoto-Kan at UCR with Sensei Ray Dalke, then
Shito-Ryu Itosu-Kai, and Genbu-Kai with Demura Sensei.



Dojo kun, Demura Sensei's calligraphy



Yes, karate is physically demanding, pushing limits,
requiring self-discipline, bravery and endurance. 
But we work to conquer ourselves, not others.

But, even more important is the respect, manners, honor,
gentility, loyalty, and especially humility.
These are important to me.









A smile for Tuesday ...







No comments: