I have been going around for hours now thinking about this topic.  Amazingly enough the inspiration for this paper was based on the amount of violence our society is experiencing.  In the last couple of weeks we have seen stabbings at schools and hospitals, shootings and violence just about everywhere.  I have also been touch by families mourning their dear ones and hoping they would have done something different.  I don’t know what I will do if I lost any of my kids as they are my life and joy.

I think about what I can do and remember that for the last thirty plus years I have been teaching martial arts.  Not the martial arts where you do flashy kicks and go thru the belts as if they were going out of style but the one based on the old concepts of human growth. 

• We teach humility so that no one has to beat you up to show how much better they are;
• We teach awareness so that we can avoid dangerous situations;
• We teach self-confidence so that we can trust ourselves to make the right decision;
• We teach self-defense and muscle memory so that we can act even if we are afraid; 
• We teach patience so that we can live a balance live;
• We teach the importance of priorities and goals so that we develop purpose to our lives and actions;
•  We teach acceptance towards ourselves and others so that we can find happiness;
• We teach the sense of family and community as without them we are nothing;
• We teach the value of love and friendship as there is no greater gift;
• We teach the value of hard work so that our students understand that nothing is impossible.

During my time as an instructor I have taught thousands of students.  Each one of them has become my son/daughter and I feel I have given them the tools to succeed in life.  I cannot do anything for the ones that are lost but I still can reach out to the ones around me. 

So as I close my thoughts for the day I can tell you what I love the most: my family and the opportunity to help others.