Last week during Old Settlers, the annual small-town fair, I saw three of my former martial arts students.
They were some of the first students who started training with Metamora Martial Arts in 2005 when we we began teaching teaching there following a year-long experiment teaching kids in Sunnyland.
The two boys were excited to tell me about how they were starting high school next year. One will try out for the soccer team, and the other is joining the band. His sister will be going into 7th grade, in school for the first time without her brother nearby. She’s nervous about it, but I told her that I’d been through that situation with my older brother.
I happily asked all of them about what they were looking forward to, especially with the boys going into this new phase.
I’d like to think they became friends because of the martial arts, and that, as Kelly Muir helped point out to me today, maybe they had the courage to try new pursuits like soccer and band because of their martial arts training.
I wish for nothing but the best for all of these former students.
If you’re a former student of mine and you happen to run into me somewhere or find me via The Googles, please let me know what you’re up to. I’m always happy knowing where you wound up and where you’re headed.
