This might be just a little different entry, but I believe there's a lot to be extracted from it. I know that I've found a lot of inspiration in it, already, and hope that anyone reading it extracts their own thoughts and feelings. Here we go!
This is a story about one of my dojo mates, and a fairly new one, at that, and also one of the only kids we have at the dojo right now. This particular kid, though, has a situation which might keep anyone else from practicing, or doing a lot of other activities, because he only has one leg. I don't think anyone has ever mentioned this to him, though, because the way he practices you wouldn't be able to tell, at all. He has been regularly attending practice since he started, and never once lets something like a missing limb stop him or even slow him down, no sir. He pushes himself to keep up with everyone, and even surpass some of them.
This on its own is amazing, if he were doing it as part of a kids class. But he's not. He's practicing with all of us adults in our regular training. He's not only pushing himself to surpass kids at the dojo, he's also pushing himself to improve and surpass the adults. I started kendo as an adult, so I can't imagine not only being that young and practicing with adults, most of the time as the only kid in class, but also with a disability (not a disability to him!) like that. I don't think I could do it, so kudos to him for doing it and excelling at it each and every time.
This is all physical pieces I'm talking about so far, but it doesn't stop there. He has one of the best outlooks mentally and spiritually that I've seen in a long time. Are we doing a drill that he hasn't before? No problem, he goes out and gives his all to figure it out and get in step with everyone else. Doing kata that he doesn't know? No problem, he'll learn the steps as quick as any of us so he can start doing it correctly. Did one of the sensei just say that we need to step it up and push harder? No problem, he can do that, over and over and over. If that kid has ever been tired during practice, I've never seen him show it. I've also never seen him waver in spirit, either, as he's always out there giving his all to do the drills.
I find myself being inspired by this every time I'm at the dojo with him. It's easy for me to forget some of the details like that, or forget that attitude, or allow myself to become lazy here and there. I think we all fall into that category every once in a while, but I'm reminded by this kid to fix my attitude, fix my effort and give my all and my best while I'm on the floor. I'm also reminded to have fun with what we do. Even though I routinely do that here and there (see some previous posts talking about it), it's always good to see others enjoying kendo as much as I do, and sometimes just for the pure joy of being on the floor and practicing with no real goal in mind.
When he pushed mentally, I want to match that and push more. When he pushes physically, I want to push more to improve. It's an improvement that I want to keep looking at and using for my own development. Just goes to show that inspiration is everywhere, even in the most unlikely places. I see great things in the kid's kendo future, and through his example I think we can all improve. I hope to have a bit more of that "childish spirit" in my own kendo!
This is a story about one of my dojo mates, and a fairly new one, at that, and also one of the only kids we have at the dojo right now. This particular kid, though, has a situation which might keep anyone else from practicing, or doing a lot of other activities, because he only has one leg. I don't think anyone has ever mentioned this to him, though, because the way he practices you wouldn't be able to tell, at all. He has been regularly attending practice since he started, and never once lets something like a missing limb stop him or even slow him down, no sir. He pushes himself to keep up with everyone, and even surpass some of them.
This on its own is amazing, if he were doing it as part of a kids class. But he's not. He's practicing with all of us adults in our regular training. He's not only pushing himself to surpass kids at the dojo, he's also pushing himself to improve and surpass the adults. I started kendo as an adult, so I can't imagine not only being that young and practicing with adults, most of the time as the only kid in class, but also with a disability (not a disability to him!) like that. I don't think I could do it, so kudos to him for doing it and excelling at it each and every time.
This is all physical pieces I'm talking about so far, but it doesn't stop there. He has one of the best outlooks mentally and spiritually that I've seen in a long time. Are we doing a drill that he hasn't before? No problem, he goes out and gives his all to figure it out and get in step with everyone else. Doing kata that he doesn't know? No problem, he'll learn the steps as quick as any of us so he can start doing it correctly. Did one of the sensei just say that we need to step it up and push harder? No problem, he can do that, over and over and over. If that kid has ever been tired during practice, I've never seen him show it. I've also never seen him waver in spirit, either, as he's always out there giving his all to do the drills.
I find myself being inspired by this every time I'm at the dojo with him. It's easy for me to forget some of the details like that, or forget that attitude, or allow myself to become lazy here and there. I think we all fall into that category every once in a while, but I'm reminded by this kid to fix my attitude, fix my effort and give my all and my best while I'm on the floor. I'm also reminded to have fun with what we do. Even though I routinely do that here and there (see some previous posts talking about it), it's always good to see others enjoying kendo as much as I do, and sometimes just for the pure joy of being on the floor and practicing with no real goal in mind.
When he pushed mentally, I want to match that and push more. When he pushes physically, I want to push more to improve. It's an improvement that I want to keep looking at and using for my own development. Just goes to show that inspiration is everywhere, even in the most unlikely places. I see great things in the kid's kendo future, and through his example I think we can all improve. I hope to have a bit more of that "childish spirit" in my own kendo!
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