Cassie Romero

By Cassie Romero

 

Hi Sensei and Senpai,

You invited us to update our anecdote AND to be honest so here is mine.  You do not need to publish this but I think it is worth sharing with you.  I can't believe that it has been almost ten years with the club!

 Sensei always says find something you love; if you are going to be here for an hour, then make that hour count; set goals for yourself so you can improve ...Little did I know that the message was for me.  I always felt that it was directed toward my kids and I had hoped sensei's words would resonate with their developing minds because I shared the same thinking.  My kids heard the message loud and clear and had given karate enough time for them to know that it was not for them.  It was me who was forcing them to continue which in hindsight explains why they were mediocre at best.  A health crisis made me realize that life is too short to invest precious time doing something you do not love and that is when I told my kids that it was time for them to move on.  There is no regret because my children have memories both good and bad that will positively impact them in one way or another.  

 The reality of the club is that it has a revolving door.  Students cycle in and out of the club because life happens.  It is rare to see a student move through the ranks and earn the prestigious black belt because all the stars need to align for that to come to fruition .  What I have seen in the past ten years are sensei and senpais pouring their hearts out at each and every training with the mindset that they ARE grooming future black belts.  They practice what they preach and for that hour that you are in their dojo, they strive to build responsible, persevering, and hard-working individuals through karate.  

 Adults who walk through the door also take something away; for every person it is something different but the common denominator is sensei and the values that he and the senpais teach.  For me personally, they embraced me and my family from the moment we stepped into the dojo.  They lifted and held me and continue to support me through karate.  Sensei is well aware of my limitations but simply expects me to be the best I can be.  Sometimes I am embarrassed to be a brown belt knowing that my skills are less than stellar.  I need to remind myself that I worked hard for my brown belt and it represents the time, commitment, and the effort that I put into my karate.  

 I think my longevity with this club is because I believe that HSK is special. It not only strengthens the mind, body, and spirit; it nurtures family and relationships as I've made lifelong friendships along the way.  It seems like only yesterday that we peeked into the dojo and took that first step.  Ten years later my love for the club is still strong and I pray for good health and for many more years with HSK.  Osu!