Alone

 

 

It is something most of you probably have not experienced.

 

When first I moved to Scranton, Pa. for work, it also meant that I was no longer near my instructor, Tom Lewis’ dojo. Nor was there any karate to speak of close by where I was living.

 

The only place I could find offering martial training anything like karate was a program teaching Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan. I joined that program, they knew I was an Isshinryu green belt, but none of them cared about my Isshinryu, ever.

 

I continued my Isshinryu, alone.

 

A year later serendipity played its role and one of my seniors, Charles Murray, move to that area and with him I was able to train further in Isshinryu.

 

Then too short a time later I was once again alone.

 

I tackled it several different ways. I participated in open karate tournaments in Region 10, where I lived, to push myself in Isshinryu, I began training with many people I met at those tournaments to have adults to train with, no matter what the training they offered. I also began teaching Isshinryu to the young. I had the time, the availability and literally no distractions as I was not from that area.

 

At those tournaments I did meet others in Isshinryu, but they were not my lineage. Some were friendly, some were more dismissive as I was not their lineage of Isshinryu, a few were very dismissive for that reason too. In any case as none of them were nearby did any read bonding occur.

 

Then as I went forth to  train with others, just to have adults to work with, I found out I learned also, not as a conscious choice, but I acquired quite a bit of knowledge about many systems nonetheless. Goju Ryu, Shorin Ryu, Shotokan, Goshin Jutsu, Washin Ryu and more (from a separate study of some Chinese systems). As I was called on to judge at the tournaments I was also competing at, I found I could judge many competitors not just on what I observed that day, but also knowing something about their systems, was able to include knowledge of what they were to do in that system. 

Nothing I ever wanted to do, it just occurred.

 

But with complete honesty not one of those I trained with ever expressed one iota of interest in my Isshinryu, ever.

 

Each step forward, such as when I choose to begin teaching youth, with many who told me that was not wise, or true karate, I was alone in my choice.

 

In maintaining my Isshinryu and all of the other things I discovered I retained, I was also alone.

 

And when I chose to expand my program offering supplemental training, at many different levels, for many different reasons, I was also alone.

 

But time passed I developed students into adepts and then I was not so alone.

 

Till the time came to retire from active instruction, and once moving again, I was once again alone.

 

Still, much weathered, I still practice my art(s) alone,

 

As I began, still I continue, Alone.

 

 

 

Oh one small afterthought. While I learned many things along my way,  at a most personal level I used that knowledge to work on how to trounce such for my own part.

 

Also Alone……..

 

 

I remember as a brown belt Charles suggesting to not let others make my choices as to how I trained. Many different levels to that set of discussions. It may have been on the greatest lessons I learned.