Very few people have the right or authority to speak about your life or the lives of others. And when you are asked to speak about that during a ceremony, it is an amazing honor that is bestowed upon you.
It doesn’t matter how many people. It doesn’t matter whether it is a graduation of hundreds moving on to another chapter in their lives, a single person on the battlefield, a person having a problem in their lives or when your own child says, “Dad, I need your help.”
Belt testing
Tomorrow is just another day for most. But for many martial artists, family, friends and teachers at the US Taekwondo Centers, it is a very special day.
Tomorrow in Colorado Springs, Colorado at the U.S. Taekwondo Center I have been asked to address the students, their families, instructors and Masters for belt testing.
It is a very important step in their journey when they need to reflect on their failures in order to appreciate and celebrate their successes and recognize their accomplishments.
Courage and Encourage
Their ages, height, education level and their physical abilities all vary between each other however one of the MANY common traits they share is “Courage.”
In my life I have heard the word courage being used to express many things; from a person having the courage to stand up for themselves or others, or the courage to overcome obstacles and triumph above all odds. And even though the word courage is often used, there is another word that is used to inspire courage. That word is “Encourage.”
The ability to encourage ones self – to pick themselves up dust themselves off and get back into the mix, day in and day out takes courage.
But without the people to encourage us, it will only suppresses the courage inside of us. In some cases this person is only you. There are no others, no friends, family, mother or father, no role model.
The love from your family when practicing at home, the support of your friends, and the mentoring of your teachers combined with the confidence in yourself are the ingredients to accomplishing the goals we set in life and why we are all here today.
To a new chapter…
Today is a day of celebration of our accomplishment, the love of our family and the support of our friends and the outstanding mentoring of our Teachers and Masters. So today ends one more chapter in your lives and tomorrow you will take another step towards demonstrating your courage by continuing to encourage the people around you!
Be safe and God bless!
-Dave Young