Hello and welcome back to Second Chance to Live my friend. I am happy to see that you decided to stop by to visit with me. In this post I want to share a joy with you. Several weeks ago I wrote a 3 part series, Traumatic / Acquired Brain Injury — Do Not Give Up on Your Dreams. In that series I spoke about the dream that I have to earn my black belt in the mixed martial arts. I also explained how I participated in an 8 hour progress check / test with the other brown belts from our martial arts academy. The progress check was set up by our Sensei — instructor — to determine who might be ready to enter the black belt cycle in January.
In the 3rd part of that series — Traumatic / Acquired Brain Injury — Don’t Give Up on Your Dreams! Part 3 of 3 — I share in detail what we had to accomplish during the progress check on November 8.
I realized that fulfilling the demands of the progress check would not necessarily guarantee my entry into the upcoming black belt cycle. Completing the 8 hour long progress check would simply qualify me to be considered by Sensei to enter the black belt cycle in January 2009. Per your information, the black belt cycle will last for 10 months — from January 2009 to October 2009 — and then culminate in a 2 day black belt exam in the middle of October 2009. Last evening during class — 3 weeks after the progress check — Sensei met with some of the students who completed the progress check to reveal his decision — who would be entering the black belt cycle.
Towards the end of class Sensei asked to speak with me. After following Sensei into his office he had me sit in a chair on the opposite side of his desk where he sat. After a pause, Sensei revealed that all the instructors that were a part of the progress check — on November 8 — thought that I was ready to enter cycle. Sensei told me that he agreed with the other instructors and revealed that I would be entering cycle in January. As you might imagine I was thrilled to hear of his decision and to know that I would have the opportunity to enter the black belt cycle in January to prepare me for a 2 day black belt exam in October 2009.
Sensei told me that I would be receiving a formal letter in the next several days inviting me to enter the black belt cycle In January 2009 with other selected students. For me, entering black belt cycle has been a goal that I have been working toward for the past 7 1/2 years. Through my training process and on my journey to this juncture in my development — in the martial arts — there have been many times when I considered giving up. I am so glad that I did not give up on the process or on myself. I am so glad that I stayed committed to my journey one drill, one class at a time.
My hope is that I will be able to complete the rigors of the black belt cycle to test for my black belt next October. Your prayers would be appreciated. Thank you. I will keep you posted in the months to come concerning my experience and what I am learning through my process in the black belt cycle.
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