Day 2550: "How did you get into that?"

Poodle: junk mail collage.

Want music?

 

Click here for Dave Brubeck, Take Five.

then click back on this blog tab or here to listen as you browse, or not?

A dear lady, who I greatly respect, asked ...

 "How did you get into that?"

That, meaning martial arts, and karate specifically. 

  That question 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 in Karate 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 seven 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. 

That sounds daunting, but everyone has their own limitations. 

Even the super-skilled. We all work to do our best.
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.

My daughter, WonderWoman, reminded me ...

of something I said years ago.

You neve know if they listen, right?

She remembered me saying ...

"the older you get, the faster time goes by".

She has decided I was right.

(Picture me smiling)

What's your opinion?

A smile for Saturday ...