Black Belt on a Journey
I have been a student of the martial arts for nearly 20 years. I started out in karate, and for the last several years, I have been training in the Korean martial art of Taekwondo. I am a 56 year old woman who practices in a small school in New Hampshire, close to my home. I am one of the oldest students in the school, and I go through the same training as everyone else. I kick, punch, run up and down stairs; I crawl on my back, sides, and belly. Sometimes I learn about self-defense, other times, I learn martial arts philosophy. I am a third degree black belt.
Some people think I’m crazy when I tell them I study Taekwondo, others are pleasantly surprised, as in, “that is amazing, especially for someone your age”. I am used to hearing that response, so I just smile and shrug it off. And I keep on training, because my life is so much better for what my martial arts journey is teaching me.
As part of my black belt test, I was assigned to write a paper on the impact obtaining a black belt would have on me. Asking myself why I want to test for a black belt was one of the toughest things I have ever done. This question required me to dig very deep inside, to places where doubt and fear coexist with faith and hope. I’ve gotten many things out of Taekwondo, and after much thought, I realized I found some things missing from my life: confidence, courage and compassion.
Any previous successes I had were sporadic, and infrequent. I knew I needed tools to help me change the way I looked, acted, felt and thought about myself. Martial arts became that tool. I was welcomed, no questions asked, for who I was. As I progressed in my training, I could feel my confidence growing, little by little, until I began to think that I could attain my black belt. I learned something from everyone in class, youngest to oldest, white belt to black belt. To confine yourself solely to the company of your generational peers means narrowing your world, and to cut yourself off to new ideas and skills limits you. Plus, I had fun!
I spent part of my life avoiding confrontation or crumbling when my opinions were challenged. All my training, up to and including this black belt test, has shown me better ways to stand my ground, whether it is a physical fight or a fight for my beliefs. With the times we are facing today in our country, we require leaders who are strong, disciplined, flexible and courageous. And it’s not just physical courage; as Charles Bronson said in the movie, "The Magnificent Seven", being responsible is the most courageous thing you can do. It takes courage to get up each day, to raise a family, go to work, teach right from wrong, by words and example. And at my school, I see ordinary people living courageous lives.
To become a black belt, you need to have compassion. The president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, once said, "What made me who I am now is the sum of all the humiliations suffered during childhood". I understood what he was saying. Many people suffered humiliations in their childhood, and a dose of compassion would have eased the pain. I learned about compassion based on what I endured in my own life, but I understood it much better when I began putting myself in another person's shoes. I remembered my own frustrations as a white belt, getting discouraged, thinking I would never learn basic techniques, never mind earn a black belt! So I never want anyone I meet, work with, teach, to ever feel humiliated, frustrated, or discouraged.
While I have learned many things while training, each test reminds me of how much more I need to know. I took this black belt test ultimately to become the kind of leader who invites others to participate in the teaching and learning process, sharing their thoughts and ideas. This kind of leader motivates, guides, and inspires others with a shared vision of the future. While teaching students, these leaders build teams, then challenge the teams to do things they never imagined possible. In the business world, this is known as transformational leadership. This is the kind of leader I strive to be, and the legacy I want to leave, so when the students leave and go out into the world, they will know how to protect themselves while motivating others to walk their path.
Diane currently practices at RTH Martial Arts & Wellness
68 North Stark Highway
Weare, NH 03281
603-529-5425
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