Darcy Lamb

What My Tae Kwon Journey Has Meant to Me   Darcy LambJung’s Tae Kwon Do, Tama BranchTemporary black belt testJune 9th, 2012  When I first started my Tae Kwon Do journey it was an activity which allowed my son and I to have some time together each week. I knew as he approached his teenage years, I wanted to have some common ground, an activity that would be fun and give me a piece of his time. I also thought to myself that starting Tae Kwon Do at the age of 40 would get me off my butt to workout at least twice a week.Watching Talon has been a joy and a struggle and we continued along the Tae Kwon Do path. I am pretty sure I drove him a little nuts making him show me forms over and over again, helping me with one-steps that I seem uncoordinated enough to learn and making him help me count in Korean, which is something I never anticipated learning in my lifetime. But I have also grown to learn and enjoy the fact that this whole process was never about for me, but to bring my son Talon to the great honor of holding a black belt and achieving something for him. I have watched him become quite good at the sport, in my opinion. I have watched him struggle to land a flying sidekick as an orange belt, to someone who can hit the bag to the ceiling with a solid, hard kick. He has become the inspiration for me, as scared and nervous as I am, to stand in front of you today.As Talon and I have progressed belt by belt, it was my instructor, Mrs. Knock who kept me on this journey. Mrs. Knock has always believed in me when I did not have the faith in myself. She has been a constant source of strength for me and there is not enough word of thanks I can give her for the past four years of support.I honestly never thought I would get to the point of testing for a black belt. I stand here today hoping to be a testimonial to the incredible person Mrs. Knock is as a teacher. My goal today is to make her proud.I would also like to express thanks to all of my black belt class teachers, Grand Master Jung, Master Gibson, Master Phillips and Mrs. Knock. The four of you have taught me the  importance of being the best Tae Kwon Do student I can be. When I was a lower belt, I consistently judged myself against the others standing on the floor with me. All of you have taught me to make sure the only person I compete against on this floor is me. There will always be those who can hit harder, break more boards, have more strength or kick higher. You have taught me that being the best is doing my best. Pushing myself to do a little better each time and discovering something new each and every day. The process of learning Tae Kwon Do is a continous journey, which will never end.I hope I achieve a goal today that I would have never imagined I would have, which is to become a black belt. My friend, Master John Rich said me at the beginning of my Tae Kwon Do journey in 2008 “There are people who have black belts, and there are people who ARE black belts. Darcy, strive to be the latter.” I hope to make him and all of you proud and be the latter.After I leave this floor today, my journey takes me back to my Do Jahng in Tama. I want to help others in my class. I have watched students who are scared to break boards, shatter three in one board breaking session. I have had the honor of working with new white belts to learn a low block, high block and a front snap kick, along with the other 10 basic movements. I have watched students who were timid and scared become strong brown, blue and orange belts. My new goal is to get them where I am today, hoping to add three new black belts to the Tama Branch of Jung’s Tae Kwon Do. Go Talon and Joe! Although I am scared, I know you will both bring me strength on this floor today. And I also know, Mrs. Knock will be standing in my corner to help me with this frightening part of my journey. I can never thank her enough regardless of the outcome today.Sometimes the strength within you is not a big fiery flame for all to see, it is just a tiny spark that whispers every so softly "you got this." I hope today I can prove to you I have the will to be a black belt who makes you proud.