“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once. I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.”
- Bruce Lee
My temporary black belt test was easily one of the hardest challenges I have ever faced in my life, and I know there will be more obstacles in my path. When I first saw that I passed that test and I saw the beautiful belt I had so many mixed feelings. I was overjoyed, I was glad I had made it this far where all my other friends had failed. However, one question always plagued my mind… What does it mean to be a Black Belt?
One of my friends from Arizona, who is also a black belt, gave me an inspiring quote. “There are people who have black belts, but there are people who are black belts.” After listening to this quote I knew instantaneously I wanted to be a person who is a black belt. I may have a black belt, but that does not necessarily mean I am one. I passed a test that was extremely difficult and I have shown the requirements to get a black belt. Courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, indomitable spirit. These five tenants have been ingrained in my head ever since those innocent days of being a white belt. A black belt follows these rules to the letter and even surpasses them. I was once at a wedding and I was having a casual conversation with a gentlemen and it ended up about how I was testing this December for my 2nd Dan. He referred to Taekwondo as a “gentlemen’s martial art.” At first, I was a little confused at what he meant, but i came to realize that the quote did not mean the lack of action. I have noticed that everywhere I have been, be it school or in a store, that some people have arrogant confidence. To me, this is their downfall. From what I have learned from my superiors we must have an air of confidence. However, it is unwise for us to partake in that arrogant confidence. It can be difficult sometimes to find the cool, calm confidence especially if we are dealing with an adversary who we find unsatisfactory. Finding this confidence and dealing with anger will carry us farther in life than living in rage.
To me being a black belt is not just teaching class and following the tenants. It is so much more than that. These teachings merely provide a gateway for grander opportunities in life. Taekwondo cannot be explained in books or magazines. You must witness this experience for yourself. It will be difficult and challenging, but the rewards make up for it. Having an unknown sparring partner immediately turn into a friend is amazing. With Taekwondo I cannot thank my mentors and superiors enough for guiding me along this path. Their wisdom is more valuable than gold, giving me tips on not only how to be a better martial artist, but a better human being as well.
