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All Black Belt candidates must write a 1,000 word essay on Tang Soo Do - Following is Sean Wade's essay
My Journey Through Tang Soo Do (May 2007)
When I first started Tang Soo Do as a tiny tiger, “Tiger Form Number One” was a huge obstacle for me. Telling me to do a spinning back kick was like telling me to jump over my house. I have trained under four sobonims in my journey through Tang Soo Do. Mr. Fatori, Master Fisher, Mr. Semerad, and Master Causerano. All of them have helped me immensely to achieve my current rank.
I have learned a lot more from Tang Soo Do than how to block and kick. I have been trained both mentally and physically. I have learned the seven tenants, and now that I understand them, I am more successful in everything that I do. Integrity has helped me become more independent and now I can do things that I used to depend on other people to do. Perseverance has also helped me when I have trouble with things. Concentration has probably helped me most of all. I need to concentrate every day in everything that I do. Whether it’s concentrating in school or on the field, being able to concentrate better has really helped. Respect and obedience have helped me a lot wherever I am. Whether it is listening to my parents or doing what my teacher says. Respect and obedience is very important to me. The fifth tenant, self-control, is probably as helpful as concentration. Before I started Tang Soo Do, I had trouble controlling what I said and did. I didn’t really think about my actions before I did anything, I just did it. Tang Soo Do has really helped change that, I think through what I’m going to do before I actually do it. Similar to respect and obedience, humility has had a significant impact on my life outside of Tang Soo Do. It has helped me make new friends and stay on good terms with old ones. The next tenant is the one that I think is most important to Tang Soo Do, indomitable spirit. In Tang Soo Do, there have been many times when indomitable sprit has helped push me through, or helped me to understand something that I thought I could never learn.
Just like the seven tenants, the five codes of Tang Soo Do have helped me a lot since I started training. I now understand what it means to be loyal to the country. I understand the connections between the countries that Tang Soo Do has influenced. I have stayed on good terms with my parents and have learned that if I respect and listen to them, it makes everyone a lot happier. I have made many new friends and kept old ones for a long time and I think that Tang Soo Do has really played a big part in that. I have learned that what you do has a big impact on what your friends think of you. It also helps show your friends that they can trust you. I have also learned the importance of friendship. It’s hard to imagine how hard life can really be without anyone to turn to when you need it. So I am really grateful to Tang Soo Do for keeping that from happening to me. I’m sure that most people would think about bravery if they heard someone say, “No retreat in battle.” But I know that even if that is part of the reason, it is definitely not all of it. To me, it means not giving up even when you think that the odds are stacked against you. It also means that you need to work really hard. The last code is probably the code that can be translated to everyday life the best. But it doesn’t just matter outside of Tang Soo Do, it also very important while training. I think that you need to use your common sense and don’t go picking fights just to prove something. That the only time you should attack or defend someone is when you absolutely need to.
But these things aren’t the only things that Tang Soo Do has done for me. I have stayed physically fit and my stamina has greatly increased. All of these things have helped not only in Tang Soo Do, but all other aspects of life as well. I am able to concentrate during school and I am doing well in sports, all because of Tang Soo Do.
For me, the most important part of Tang Soo Do is setting goals and achieving them. When I was a tiny tiger, I would watch the green belts in the third class and think, “Wow! I want to be just like them.” Eventually, I became a green belt and moved up to the third class. Then, I would look at the blue belts and think “Wow! I want to be just like them.” Even though I didn’t know it at that time, I was setting goals for myself, to become a green belt, then a blue belt, and now, I’m aiming for my black belt.
I know that being a black belt is not telling other people what to do, it is showing them and leading them. I know that being a black belt means that you have more responsibility and you have earned more respect from your classmates. This is very similar to life. This is because, as you get older, people expect more of you. But you also get to do things that you couldn’t do before. In Tang Soo Do, the higher the rank that you become, the more responsibility you have. But you can also try new things and learn moves or forms that were just a fantasy before.
The most important thing that I learned in Tang Soo Do is not giving up. If you give up on learning something, you will never learn it. If you are having trouble learning something, it helps to tell yourself that you can do it. I think that this is important because without it, you can’t advance anywhere in the ranks of Tang Soo Do.
Even though I may not be the most athletic or flexible person, I still try my best to learn and improve. I’ve come a long way from being white belt in the tiny tigers, and I plan to work just as hard to improve myself in the rest of my journey through Tang Soo Do.
!!!TANG SOO DO!!! |
