Thank You

Thank you.  After last Friday's class, a few of you made posts to FB mentioning that you had really enjoyed the lesson.  I am touched.  We had some new faces, too, and they seemed to feel at home in our group.

As an instructor, I put a lot of time and energy each week into coming up with good training drills and good examples for you.  I come every Friday with a lesson plan of activities (often rewritten a few times during the week) , a set of ideas for what I want to share, and an open mind to see how you absorb the curriculum.  I want to challenge you, but not break your spirit or take away your motivation.  I want to show you that you can do more and be more than you thought when you walked in.  I want to help you leave your job, your family, your worries, your troubles outside the door for a few hours and just focus on what we are doing on the mats - in the moment - right now.

I look forward to our weekly sessions as a time when we can do something for ourselves, without having to worry about making anyone else happy.  I look forward to sharing with all of you.  I look forward to our laboratory of martial arts where we can explore and challenge, find what works; discard what doesn't.  I look forward to the beginning of every cycle of new material when you feel uncertain and unsure, and the end of every cycle when you have worked it hard made it your own.  I look forward to the affirmation of our cycle tests and how you always seem to surprise me with how well you can focus and deliver what you know.  I look forward to feeling the fellowship and friendship of our group and how you support each other as good partners and welcome newcomers when they join.  I look forward to showing Guro Fred and Guro Lila how much you all have grown in-between their visits here.  You always make me proud.  I look forward to each of you expressing Kali Majapahit in your own unique FLOW, and becoming gifted instructors in your own right someday, sharing this wonderful experience with many, many more students of your own in the future.

During my time between jobs (18 months in fact) I tried my best to have a training routine with gym and martial arts training just on my own, but I realize it is much more fun to be training with others.  Your passion and energy inspire me, and the class really gives me something to think about all week long.  I promised myself I would stay committed to our training group no matter what happened in my career or personal life.
The class has been my anchor in rough waters, keeping me from drifting away, so to speak.

At the end of it all, our lesson is always about YOU.
It is about delivering the training experience YOU want.
What YOU need to grow as martial artists and as human beings.
It is about helping you continue your training until it becomes a habit - part of your lifestyle of mental and physical health and happiness for the rest of your lives.

There is a two-way promise inherent in this.
If you can promise to keep coming to class open-minded and ready to give 100%,
If you can promise to keep telling me what you want so we can keep improving,
I promise to give you everything I have, everything I have learned and done over all these years.
I promise to try my very best to make our lessons enjoyable, exciting, encouraging, and empowering.
I promise to be right there beside you on this journey, sharing your growth in martial arts and in life.

Thank you for making this experience so rewarding for me.
I am truly grateful.