Character revisited...

Michael Edelson sempai posted a great post in his blog about character a while ago (it's re-posted here somewhere by Sensei as well...scroll down...) and I've been thinking about it personally for some time.

Almost two months ago, I injured my knee, and it's been downhill from there. Though that eventually sorted itself out, my left foot was found to have a stress fracture, and I broke it. Nothing major or ugly-serious, but enough to be impossible to be active with. Needless to say, aside from a weekend when the stars aligned, I've not been able to train effectively (or go to class).

As I'm on the cusp of recovering, and I've begun trying to get back into it, my mental game has been affected. This is where character comes in. I joined Battodo specifically to learn the art top to bottom, and Sensei Kim's dojo specifically to train hardcore. Batto (and any martial art) is a long-term commitment, and it takes character to continue training at the same level and higher...no matter what.

While I've been injured, I found it easy to find excuses not to train. I couldn't stand, I couldn't walk, I couldn't run, this hurts, that hurts...etc. Still, there are things I could have been working on all this time that perhaps I didn't work on enough. If I can stand I can work on something. As the saying goes, "it's the little things that count"...and there are little things that I am in fact well enough to work on. Yet, it's human nature to focus too much on everything else, and miss out on these things.

The truth is, I'm apprehensive about coming back, because all this time being injured was a big setback, and I may come back and find I have regressed in my training. So What. What does this have to do with character?

I've resolved that to have true character, it's necessary to continue on, regardless of how long it may take before I physically can. It may require a big step backwards....but it's my duty to show that I'm committed to this and have enough character to return, even if it means starting further from where I was and be "behind" the others. My technique will be questioned, my mental fortitude tested, and I will have to re-adjust myself. It will be a heavy mental challenge to accept this setback, and accept whatever condition I'm in when I return.

It will be a challenge to get back to wherever I was, let alone move forward from there. Still, this is about having the character to accept the challenge and recover the pride in what was previously accomplished. Overcoming the challenges ahead, recovering your pride, and growing stronger than from before...it's all worth it. I am worth it.

Everyone suffers at some point some sort of setback...but coming back, regardless of how long it takes, and accepting where you are and moving forward from there...that is the Samurai Spirit and character. This art (any art) deserves this commitment, and deserves this showing of character. So, even if you broke a leg, like I did, let the show go on and give it everything you've got :)