Passage of time...

 I was asked the other day if I missed training with others. My immediate answer was a resounding No. 

Understanding the kind of person I am has been at the forefront of seeking contentment, of which I found some time ago. I'm not needy. Don't need others, and for good or bad I'm quite capable of training on my own. This way I don't get caught up in other people's B.S. 

I watched a guy receive his Sensei's black belt once, being promoted to 1st Dan.... he couldn't make his Karate work, and his ude tanren ( arm conditioning) was weak, but hey his Kata looked peachy so why not, good luck to him. This is the sort of thing I don't miss. 

                      No Needy

Karate-do, a solitary pursuit done in The company of others.... To quote my last Sensei..."Or not." To quote me.

I'm finding that these days there are more and more 'needy' people. 

The need for acceptance, the need to be with others, the need to be acknowledged, the need to be validated, the needy list goes on. And again as my last Sensei once remarked, "the need for likes and shares."  

In fairness though, the latter is only relevant if that's what you're after....many aren't. 

So where does Karate fit in? 

Well, if you train in the manner in which Karate used to be trained, then you will learn to be self sufficient. When there is just you, there is no escape from the task at hand and no blaming others for your short comings, you become less needy, self reliant and learn to be by yourself. Completely by yourself. Something I think many have trouble with these days; the passage of time will tell and when looked back upon from the vantage point of experience, you may get a glimpse of who you are, needy or not.