On Living the Creed: The Martial Artist’s Way
One of the great joys of these months of following pandemic safety protocols has been our ability to reconnect and stay connected virtually with our out of town students. This includes students who have relocated out of the area, and students, like Instructor Merrick, who are away studying at University.
To that end, we are happy to present Merrick’s entry in our ongoing series of “On Living the Martial Artist’s Creed“, Collegian version. Merrick is a sophomore in college, age 19. We were definitely inspired: we hope you enjoy it!
On Living the Creed: Collegian Version
” “I wish I had more time to read”
“I wish I could play the piano more”
“I wish I ran more often”
People say these things frequently. I have found myself saying these exact words on more than one occasion.
“I could never imagine doing that”
That is the most common line I encounter when explaining my studies to people. Admittedly, it is a lot. Between two majors, two minors, two degrees, and two campuses two miles apart, college is not easy – barring any academic concerns. The next thing they always ask is: How do you do it?
My answer is always the same: I could never imagine not doing it. The same applies to my study of martial arts now, despite a hectic schedule for school. I have talked to too many classmates who stopped playing an instrument, or playing a sport, or doing another activity they genuinely enjoyed because they felt that they didn’t have enough time to continue doing so. To me, this is a shame.
I went through a similar experience in high school with martial arts; I stopped practicing completely. At the time, I was focusing on other aspects of my life, and I allowed myself to stop attending classes altogether for several years.
When I got to college, I finally began to realize how much I love studying martial arts and how the values and habits instilled in me from my childhood spent training impact me today. On my breaks from school, I eagerly resumed practicing at the dojang so I could return to honing my skills and growing as a martial artist. Although the pandemic is overall a huge net negative, I am grateful because it has given me the opportunity to continue my studies throughout the semester with Grandmaster Yu despite attending school hundreds of miles away, instead of solely during breaks.
“I wish I had more time to read”
“I wish I could play the piano more”
“I wish I ran more often”
Instead of saying these things, think about how you can prioritize the activities that you legitimately care about doing. Identifying your wish is the first step; the next is to take action towards making your wish come true.
Be ambitious – Imagine yourself where you want to be. Establish what is important to you. Discipline yourself – Put yourself on a path that leads you where you want to go, and focus on the journey that takes you there. Study harder – Always seek to improve. Constantly reevaluate whether your path aligns with you. Never give up – Allow yourself grace when things get tough, but always be ready to face the next challenge that comes your way.
Thank you for listening to my essay.”
Thank you Instructor Merrick!
Well said! Thanks for the Inspiration, Instructor Merrick!!
