Back when I was training in Aikido, in addition to practicing how to throw our partners, apply holds and take-downs, there was a very important element of the learning process – being an ukee. The ukee was the one whose turn it was, to be thrown, the one whose wrist/elbow/shoulder was twisted until you signaled pain, the one who was flung straight down or across the mat. The ukee was the one who was privileged enough to “receive the technique”. Often, when I was the ukee, I received very weak, ineffective technique. Other times, my sempais or the sensei would apply great, effortless technique and I would try to study and understand just what made it work so well on me. The greatest honor (and greatest learning experience) was the periodic opportunity to receive technique from an Aikido master such as Tohei Sensei. Back in the 1960’s, Koichi Tohei was Aikido’s great ambassador to the United States. It was he who introduced the art to the islands of Hawaii, beginning in the 1950’s. He was probably the Founder’s top disciple and few could match his flawless execution of technique. Throughout the many hours of training, I believe that I learned the most during those times that I was the ukee of various highly qualified aikidoka such as Tohei Sensei. Isn’t that ironic? To actually learn more from receiving strong technique than merely executing strong technique.

I firmly believe that this is true in Life as well. We seem to learn the most when we face challenging times. Conversely, we don’t learn very much during the easy, smooth-going times; comfortable as these are. That’s the way He designed us. Though I would not expose the folks in our karate ministry to the truly tough training sessions and incessant sparring conditions that Senseis Peter, Wayne and I went through as young karateka; each of us realizes how invaluable those times were to the maturity of our karate and the levels of knowledge we gained. Of everything that was gained from those times, I do believe that the greatest lesson we learned was perseverance. During each step of the way, from white belt all the way through the yudanshakai; we were gradually losing fellow practitioners around us. For every one hundred of us that started as white belts (virtually all were active young men), perhaps 2-3 ever stuck it out to become black belts. From all of the brown and black belts training throughout the many KAH dojos on Oahu, Sensei Funakoshi would personally invite only several from each dojo to become an active member of his Special Training group and Yudanshakai. For those of us who proudly trained in that elite group over thirty years ago, only a fraction still train/teach karate-do till this day. Yes, the long, drawn-out process certainly winnowed out all but those who possessed the most…not just talent, not pure speed, not merely strength – but the most perseverence. A few remain active till this day. One moved on to establish the Hawaii Shotokan Karate group. Another became the Technical Director of the JKS in America. Some remained instructors in the KAH. One co-founded the SKC with me. Two answered the call and began Christian Shotokan Karate ministries for New Hope Mililani and Grace Bible churches, similar to our ministry. And HIS Karate is fortunate enough to have three old-time graduates of the Special Training program helping share karate with its members. These few instructors who continue to share what they know of karate, are all that are left amongst thousands of former KAH karateka. They are the ones who never gave up. The art of Shotokan owes its continued existence to them and other senseis like them, who strive to keep the art, vital and alive.

But this note isn’t really about the “good old rough ‘n tumble days” in the heyday of the KAH or about the scattered ranks of old karateka. I’m talking about the quiet power and strength that lies in simple perseverance. The perseverance I’m talking about, exists all around us today. There are many great examples of perseverance within our own membership. Sempai Rodney was one of the first to join our ministry right when it began, nearly nine years ago and he still makes time to train. Sempais Cheryl and Edith were members of the SKC years before they ever came to HIS Karate and drive the farthest each week – spending more time on the round-trip than the time they get to train. And Sempai James, who accidentally bumped into us on one of his daily walkathons five years ago – joined us to become the rock and mainstay of our group, trained nearly twenty years ago in another Shotokan dojo with Sensei Peter and myself. Both Sempai Ken and Sempai Fran have been with our ministry for nearly six years. With the possible exception of Sempai James (who never seems to get sick or miss any training sessions!), each of these sempais has had to overcome bouts with illness or injury or work deployment or school or job changes or just a pure lack of time – but each eventually made his/her way back – true examples of perseverance in a world where the average karate student in America lasts something like six weeks. It’s an even more amazing trait, considering there are no tournaments and flashy trophies to vie for, a program that is on slow “simmer” (maximum of two lessons a week) versus the “boiling” pace (5 days or more a week of 2-3 hour training sessions) that powered the young men in the KAH, and they have invested years of effort to strive for improvement. This is true perseverance!

And I am continually amazed by them and learn from them. The main lesson they teach me, is pretty much the same one I learned so many years ago as a young karateka and even younger aikidoka -to hang in there, to take a punch, receive technique, to pick yourself up when you fall and keep on going, to never give up…to find the lesson gems that are hidden in every tough or frustrating situation…lessons that are epitomized by the first three precepts of the Dojo Kun – to seek perfection of character – to be faithful – to endeavor!