Karate and Change

One year ago today we were having lunch in Alao Moana after morning practice. Today, one year later, I have to invite you to my garden veggie lunch via the internet. How time changes us! This year Jen is in Virginia caring for her sister, who as I am writing is, having surgery. We are all hoping that she will have an easy go of it, but there is concern on all parts. It brings me to think of how we go though life’s changes. Like our garden today, the plants themselves do not look as strong and healthy as they did just a month ago. However as you can see a veggie and ganola eating tree hugger like me is rather happy with garden during this period. It made me think about karate. I will concede, I might have been thinking about karate already. A few years ago, I was in better shape, not producing very much for the dojo, a trophy every now and then, or a broken block, the last of which is now being used as a door stop, but that is about it. Just one year ago, I sat with you on the park bench and leaned that karate is not tasio. I knew there as more to karate. I had great teachers along the way. I just did not know how or what teaching karate was about. Many of days now, I understand that we do in practice is not teaching, we simply invite others to join us on our personal michi. We provide the model, of good budo. I can not help but think of the students, that have left the dojo, because they could not do the" workouts" anymore. I feel bad that I did not model good budo, and let them get way. At that time, all I knew was conditioning, so we went at it hard. Every day, the students knew we were going to “get a good workout”, but now I look back. Like my garden in early June, our students stood strong, but nothing seemed to ripen. I have been busy, as my bee friends, this last year pollinating our students, with the knowledge of Karate-do. I hope that they will not hate me, but I am learning that the word, dojo…does not mean a hall for conditioning. I am sure that some of them miss the old Sempai Tony. Like my garden here in New York, I am entering a new period of growth. I look at my pictures now that I send you, wondering who is that old man, with the bad right leg, and white hair??

Little Anthony was late for class this week, AGAIN, but I did not know he even came into the dojo. He was seiza, at the doorway, shoes off!! First, ripe tomato!! Well I should leave the post at this point, but those in class will point out, He did forget his dogi again…smile. Like those tomatoes, or cherry blossom we are trying to be perfect, but will accept and understand the effort it takes getting there.