Wednesday 9 June 2004

R-E-S-T-E-C-P

I am currently, as I have been for the past four years, training in karate. To advance to a new belt, besides demonstrating a particular level of all-round proficiency, I must learn two "kata" - complex sequences of stances, blocks and strikes, performed against imaginary opponents. There are three other people in the class who know the kata I need to learn. Two of them teach the class, and their daughter is the third. She's about twelve, I guess. I never found out for sure. Anyway, yesterday I was being taught my kata by a child, and only then did I understand respect.

At the beginning and end of every class, we bow as a sign of respect to all the other students in the dojo. In what other context would a man have to respect a child enough to be actively taught by them? To listen when they say "you're doing that wrong"? To believe them when they say "it's better to do it this way"?

Mokalus of Borg

PS - There is always more to learn.
PPS - There are always more ways to improve.

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