I quickly went up in the ranks, partly because me being the curious boy I still am, wanted to know exactly how the things worked. Soon I found myself wanting to be any kind of Ninja. I was physically good at it and made myself technically good as well. I went as far as my first degree black belt before I began to tire of it. Now I no longer go, but there is a large part of me that would not be me if it were not for the teachers, students, and the overall discipline of martial arts. I am very much still, in my heart, a Ninja and a martial artist. (Just out of shape. Retired if you will.)
Among the techniques and kata that we learned, we were also taught how to be a better person. One of the things that stuck with me all my life are five traits of a martial artist. Honest, Integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit. Little did I know, what I was learning in karate, was also preparing me to be a better Christian in life.
Honesty has always been rather easy for me. I would blame it on my mom for making me be an honest person. She told us from a young age, that we should tell the truth, lying will only make it worse. Our punishments were always less if we admitted what we did that when we lied and tried to cover it up. The same was also true in the karate world.
Many moons ago, at a national weekend held by my karate school, I was in a hotel and was playing a practical joke on someone. I’m not normally a practical joker but I do them sometimes. Some of those times they are great, while others are not. This is a case of the not.
At the time, I was a blue belt in karate. I was getting ready for my purple belt test the following week. I don’t really remember, or if I ever knew, what belt the other kid was. I was playing a joke on one of my friends, Eric McMillan. He was a brown belt at the time I think. He might have been a purple belt but over the years certain details have turned rather gray. We were pretty good friends. We played video games together on occasions and went to the same school, though he was a grade above me.
Two other kids and I decided to pick a girl in the room, and give her a letter telling her how much Eric liked her. It wasn't true to my knowledge. We looked out over the room for a few minutes when we found someone that would do very nicely. Her name was Rebecca. She was very beautiful. She had long red hair, and long I mean it was down to the top of her posterior or close to it. She was wearing a black dress that showed her rather fine figure. I know I thought she was good looking.
We watched for a bit after we had the letter written. We saw she had her things under a chair on the side of the room. While she was out dancing on the floor, we left the letter under her chair. Some how, I still don’t know how, a kid, who, by some crazy random happenstance, was also named Eric found out about it. He thought it was about him. Being that he was from the same school as she was, I don’t think he liked the idea of people writing things about him to someone.
After the note was placed, my friends and I went laughing to my room. Little did I know, Eric from Michigan somehow found where my room was. We spent a bit of time in there laughing and joking about what we did. And talked about what young kids in karate talk about. Truthfully, I couldn’t even tell you a single thing we talked about. That part of the night seemed to blur.
We finished our talks and decided to go back down to the banquet hall. I walked out of my room, and looked around. The hall was clear. We turned toward the elevator when I heard the stairs door close behind me. I looked back and saw Eric from Michigan running toward me. He might have yelled something or might of just ran silently, I’m not sure. As he neared us, I threw a sidekick and hit him in the hip. It turned him around and giving me a chance to grab him. I put him in a choke hold and told him something along the lines of “Don’t mess with me.”
I pushed him off me and we stood there for a few seconds, which felt a lot longer at the time, just looking at each other. He then turned and I watched as he walked back toward the stairs. I was shaken up a bit, I could feel the adrenaline running through my veins. We went into my room and sat there till I calmed down.
Fear gripped me then. I knew by then that everyone down stairs would know what just happened. I didn't know what to do. I do not remember what we said, but we soon split up. After awhile I also left the room and walked around the upper floors for a bit before I decided to hide under the stairs. I hid there for a while half crying half worrying what I was going to do and scared to death what my Sensei would do if he found out that I got in a fight at the National Weekend.
After a lot of introspection, I finally got up the courage to face the problem I had created. So the first thing I did was go talk to my mom. She is also in karate with me. I knew she was looking for me. Looking back I’m pretty sure that others were too. She and I went to find our Sensei. Fear had me tightly in its hands as I went up to him and related my half of the story. They understood and told me to talk to the other kid.
I gathered strength and went down to the banquet hall where the party was being held. The karate parties were always long and great. I saw the other kid standing on the opposite side of the room. I swallowed hard and walked over to him with millions of butterflies in my stomach all of which wanted to get out in a bad way. I told him I was sorry. I told him that it was not meant to cause any problems with anyone. I was just trying to play a joke on my friend. At that time, it seemed as if we were the only two in the whole hotel. We talked and he accepted my sincere apology. Done, I turned to leave the room.
It was then, that the girl came up to me and told me she saw what I did. Since I was a very shy person, and I liked her, I felt like my insides were about to push their way out of me and run somewhere I wasn't. She told me that she thought it was a brave thing to do. I said thanks and tried to get out of the room. All I wanted was to go back to my room and hide. I had way too much attention for at least a month that one night. Then she surprised me, she asked me to dance. I was very reluctant to do so. I had a few problems, one, I liked her and thought she was beautiful. Two, I didn't know how to dance, and three I was out on the floor with a attractive girl where other people could see me. This was not a night for my shyness. I mustered up all the courage I could find and I agreed. All I remember was holding her close and dancing.
She was the other part of the joke and somehow the joke seemed to turn around on me. Over all I regret the whole night. C'est la vie or so they say. Sure there were a few good things that happened to me. My first dance that happened to be with a girl I happened to actually like… well actually that’s the only good thing that happened to me.
The next week my Sensei took me into his office and closed the door. We talked about what had happened over the weekend. I like to think that he told me that he was proud that I went back and apologized to Eric from Michigan but I still was wrong on what I did, but I really have no clue anymore. But I do know that as a punishment I was not allowed to test the following weekend for my belt. It meant I had to wait for three more months to get my belt. I was sad that I could not test but it was a good thing.
I learned that no matter what happens, whether good or bad, life goes on. I also learned that one should stand up and not cower. Take responsibility for you actions. Therefore, with that in mind, I try my best at everything. Even if I hurt someone, it’s my responsibility. Even today, I take responsibility for what I do and always strive to be better.
My honesty and integrity were both put to the test this night. I am sure I could have lied my way through all it, maybe even been able to test for my belt when I wanted to, but would I have been a better person for it? No I do not believe so. I do believe that it was my honesty and integrity that made the punishment much more bearable than it could have been. And any faults there were then, have been beaten back some and I am a better person, and such, a better Christian because God lined everything up for me to use this as an example in the future.
Honesty, integrity, they are steps to becoming the way God designed you. The two compliment each other, enhance each other, and promote a better you. The more you work them, the better they are to you. We will explore a few more steps to becoming a better you through Martial Arts.
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