I approached the day for my son, Ethan’s test for his black belt with a great degree of excitement and anticipation. I had watched him go to classes at the dojo for the past seven years. Early in his life, he went without questioning it. Later, he begged us not to take him. Then when he could, he briefly quit (as many of us have done). But the last few years, he started to own his practice and went as much as he could with a growing sense of excitement and the joy of being an individual part of the Seido Karate community. As a result, his punches and kicks became sharp and precise. He wanted to test for black belt.

What most surprised me about the test that day was not the physical trial he endured or the physical bruises he picked up along the way. I knew Ethan would have to dig down deep to remember all of the material he had been taught. As he did each kata, I was doing the same stances in my own mind willing him to remember. Not surprisingly, he didn’t need my help. I knew that the sparring would be difficult as he had to fight all the black belts including the fears and anxiety of sparring his two favorite teachers, Senpai Alan and Senpai Triston. I knew that he would break boards with his hands and feet. This is what I expected.

What I did not realize was the mental, emotional, and demonstrated personal growth that he would have to describe. He was asked all sorts of questions about being a karateka and the code of our art. He was asked about how he treats people at school and how he is a productive and caring member of our community.

At this test, I realized that Thousand Waves creates much more than our ability to punch, kick, do beautiful katas and defend ourselves. Ethan’s practice at the dojo for the last seven years had created a complete and caring person. This is what our training is about. Thousand Waves has given him the intention of how to conduct his life and choose a social circle. It has taught him how he should treat other people, how he wants to be treated, and his obligation to care in a just manner.

This caring for others was visually represented at the test when Ethan had to carry a 40 pound young child, named Rahm on his back while doing one of the katas. While this was physically challenging and fun, it reminded me that as a karateka, sometimes we need to carry or help others that are weaker than us in need.

Being weaker and in need is why we sent Ethan to Thousand Waves in 2000. When my son was 7, he was a very small child who got picked on a lot at the public school by bullies. He did not have a lot of physical or emotional self confidence. Seven years later, Thousand Waves helped to transform him into a physically strong and emotionally confident young man. He views the dojo as a second family who unconditionally care about him. I have seen him arrive an hour early now to class just to “hang out” and talk to his favorites, including Senpai Triston, Senpai Alan and John.

Ethan started Karate because he wanted to fight like “The Karate Kid”. What he became while training in Seido Karate was a wonderful and kind young man. Then I realized that day that this is what a becoming a Seido Karateka is. Forget just knowing how to punch and kick. That is the easy part for a teenager. There is so much more to becoming a black belt.

The best part, three days later when the physical wounds healed, he went to his first Junior Shodan class and couldn’t stop talking about it.