Memories and removing patches

tshadowchaser

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Memories and removing patches

I took the time today to remove some of my old association patches from my old uniforms. I have been away from that association for some years now and had mixed emotions in removing the patches.
My love of most I worked out with is still there but I do feel some regret that most of them feel they should not associate with me because I left their organization. I remembered the happy times of training but those thoughts grew some what bitter thinking how two faced many where and their willingness to forget who their instructor choose to look after the black belts and insure that their training and techniques where correct.
May of the happy times are now tainted with the knowledge that a school where truth and dignity where required would turn its back on a 30+ year member and embrace a person with false credentials who constantly lies about the ranks they hold.
I bleed and tears where shed in my training over the years. I helped promote the organization through out the United States and then around the world via the internet. I was devoted to the organization till I found out that my word meant nothing if someone could bring money and students in no matter how trustworthy they where.

Sorry for the sop box but I wonder how those of you who left a parent organization after many years of training felt when you put on a new patch or took the old ones off your uniforms
 

terryl965

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Sheldon I too went thought his 10 years ago when I became an independent instructor. My emotion was like your some of regret and some of joy, I miss some of the people that cannot or should I say choose not to associate with me anymore. I remember one ofmy teacher say it was with great joy when a student becomes a teacher of the Arts and a sad day when a teacher forget that every student need to make there own path. I took all my patches and stuff and put them in a box for memories. I still have them and will always.
 

bowser666

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Patches are not what is important and I think you know that. Just because you move on from a organization doesn't mean anything. You still have your memories and you should scrapbook them. Me personally I would be bummed if I ended up in the same place when I started my journey. Moving from one place to another ( not just physically, but spiritually) is inevitable. Don't mourn the change, embrace it!!!
 

Daniel Sullivan

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Sounds like you put some closure on the bad memories by removing the patches, but the good memories will always be there. Take the good, leave the bad, and carry a lighter load on your continuing journey.

Daniel
 

searcher

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I look at the removal to be a part of moving on to better things. When I left my Chito-ryu school, I took my time and made sure it was what I needed to do, in order to make a clean break.

It is a very good thing. I am getting ready right now to put my EPAK patches on my uniform. For me, it is my new birth in a style that I have missed dearly.
 

geezer

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I took the time today to remove some of my old association patches from my old uniforms. I have been away from that association for some years now and had mixed emotions in removing the patches.

I hear ya. I still have yet to get around to changing out the patch on my "formal" uniform top. I really don't care about the patch as much as the hard feelings such a split can bring about. I no longer even care to call and talk to my Si-hing. (We trained together starting back in '79, and sent each other's families Christmas cards for decades even when we moved to different towns). But the last straw was when he added his name to a lawsuit against another former kung-fu brother just to harass the new association he formed (which I have joined). I always held friendship above politics. Some don't see it that way, I guess.
 

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