Here’s the beginning of a note I started in late August…then, got so busy at work that I actually didn’t pick up my “virtual pen” to continue until this Columbus Day weekend.  The first paragraph began – “Well, over years of training and teaching, there is an interesting phenomenon that sometimes – not always – occurs in a karateka….he/she finally gets to the point where they take their eyes off of themselves.  Let’s face it, the average person who joins a dojo wants to improve his/her conditioning, self-defense abilities, strength, coordination, knowledge of karate-do, and so on.  This is a natural thing; and naturally, we will see folks drift away when these particular needs or metrics are no longer met or seem unattainable.  Once in a while, however, an individual will reach a level of perception that goes outside of the self-ego and he/she will begin to look more at how they can help the overall group, as well as keeping the art alive.  At that point, the karateka begins to think of others and not just his or herself.  Oh, the striving to become better never goes away, it’s just that it becomes enhanced or multi-dimensional.  Quitting and walking [...]

Well, we (mostly my wife) recently completed a 10-day stretch of babysitting our one-year old grandson while his parents attended a convention on the mainland.  Frankly, we’d forgotten about a toddler’s high level of energy and curiosity. At this age, they pass through so many development stages, so quickly, it’s hard to keep up.  Right now, it’s the listen to Elvis CD/buy helium balloons/go outside/blow bubbles/fly to the Superman theme song/eat MumMums/drink through a straw/drool through many bibs/and so on – stage.  It brings back to me, something that my uncle often said about filial duties and responsibilities – “Why are we here?”  It’s a simple philosophy on the parent-child relationship – parents should always be willing to sacrifice their time and financial resources for their offspring; else, why did they ever have ’em in the first place? He can’t quite talk yet…he gestures and makes various sounds to get his point across.  I laugh each time he leans forward and points to the outside, pursing his lips together to make his unmistakable vibratory, “BBBBbbbb!!….” sound, his “word” for bubbles.  Recently, he learned how to vigorously shake his head as a way of indicating “No”.  As he does so, he [...]

I can’t believe it, but summer is on our doorstep (I know this because my daughter and my daughter-in-law, who are both teachers, just went on summer break).  Summer is one of my favorite seasons, longer days, more sun, and more oama and papio (if I ever have time to go fishing ;).  Where does the time go?  Is it just me, or does it seem as if time goes faster and faster, the older one gets – or do we just appreciate it more?  As an AJA, I know I’m approaching one of the honored (or dreaded) milestones in a “mature” Japanese man’s life, celebrating one’s 60th year – the Kanreki.  It was kind of a neat thing, nearly twenty years ago, celebrating my Yakudoshi (“My, you look so young for 41 years!”) – I remember brushing off such remarks and compliments, still feeling (and kind of looking) like I was in my twenties, haha.  But the Kanreki is different; the Kanreki feels so….old.  I remember my Dad’s and my father-in-law’s Kanreki’s – I was in charge of the program and “entertainment” for both parties.  At my father-in-law’s party, his eldest brother (passed away a couple of years ago at 95) gave the toast.  He [...]