Legacy

[windwalker099]

On another thread, this passage made me reflect on my own practice , and on the people I’ve trained with over the years, some of whom are no longer with us.

My own teacher one of them, passing away at the age of 100.

“The passing of David C. Chen on December 25, 2005 is a tragic loss. David’s joyful spirit embodied the principles of Taiji. He tirelessly cultivated his Taijiquan and made many contributions to the Taijiquan community. His enthusiasm and intelligence in learning, as well as his gentle personality, inspired those around him. For David, the ultimate goal of Taiji practice was ‘for us to blend it into our everyday life’ and ‘to become a better me, not better than you.’ His life was a beautiful example to us all.”

It made me wonder:

What do you feel will be your martial legacy?
Do you do anything specific to shape it , or is it something you feel will simply take form on its own?
Or perhaps it’s not something you feel particularly concerned with?


Getting a bit long in the tooth, as they say, I’ve found myself reflecting more on my own training and the time I’ve spent working with others, and those I've worked with.


One moment that stood out: a friend of mine asked me to teach his son, young at the time, how to fight. What started as a few lessons continued over the past five years. Now he is ready for collage leaving in a short while. In teaching him I passed on a method I had developed over time, shaped by my own background, something he can build on, should he choose to.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

What do you feel will be your martial legacy?

One day when you look back, you may ask yourself, which "door guarding MA skill" that you have developed through your lifetime? If you can come up at least one, you should be proud of yourself.

I taught my 7 years grandson 2 MA techniques:

- 1 step 3 punches for offense.
- Rhino guard for defense.

Hope one day he will teach his grandson the same way.

 

[Simfers]

I may have told this story before, but there was a guy who started Can-Ryu jiujitsu a good long while ago. I was an assistant coach then, so probably around 2009. Dude was in rough shape. Recovering alcoholic, history of mental health issues, former smoker (of the 3-pack-a-day-for-30-years variety), overall in terrible shape. Started with his granddaughter. The sensei I was helping out and I figured he'd last maybe 2 weeks.

Well, I kinda wound up taking him under my wing, almost by accident. He trusted me. So I worked with him, a lot. Every time he had an exam, I was his partner. We were always working. Gradually, more of us kind of adopted him. We made him eork but we took care of him, but I was always the one he turned to. I was HIS sensei, even before I got that title and even now when I no longer use it.

He got his black belt in 2018. Not only that, he only one in the history of the organization to do the full exam even when he was offered to do the "executive" version for older or more limited people (I was there when he was offered to do that program, he BRISTLED). I was there once again, as one of his partners, along with another close friend.

To this day, he tells anyone who'll listen that I saved his life.

I never set out to build a legacy. Figure it'll be whatever those I leave behind will decide it is.

But if THIS is my legacy, just this story, I'll consider it a good one.