Fifty-five and This Happened
Now at fifty-five, I was going to test for my Second Dan.
I came down with bronchitis just as my 2nd Dan test was supposed to occur. My masters rescheduled a makeup exam and once I was feeling better I took advantage of the extra weeks to practice and counted the days.
I had learned so much since earning my First Dan in Taekwondo at age fifty-three. I had worked hard in the few years since that first test and I had learned so much about myself. For those of you who read my article “An unexpected lesson from failure,” I did compete in a tournament and won first place with Koryo – the very poomsea I messed up back then.
The test day was coming closer, but I felt great and ready.
And then Covid-19 hit. My life hasn’t been impacted by the pandemic to the same scale as so many others but it was set on a collision course with my testing day.
I started hearing news of a possible lock-down and, by Thursday, I was wondering whether my test on Saturday would happen. Then it became official. My county was going on lock-down Friday night and I would not be able to go to the school to test.
To say I was disappointed is an understatement.
Then I had an idea. Perhaps Master Ko would be willing to test me in my Do Jang at home? I have a shed in our backyard that I converted to a small Do Jang. It has everything I need, including a matted floor, kicking targets, etc. Taking a chance, I asked Master Ko if he thought it might be possible to test me here. I texted and waited…
Then came the response, “Yes sir, we will be there around six”
We?
The Arrival
As the car pull into my driveway, I watched two masters came out of the car dressed in their uniforms – Master Ko, whom I have gotten to know very well through classes and private lessons, and Grandmaster Kim.
Grandmaster Kim.
Everything starts moving in slow motion and I can hear the opening to “Rock Me Amadeus” running in my mind with all the facts of Mozart’s life being replaced by Grandmaster Kim’s.
Indulge me and get that funky eighties pop beat going in your head.
Meet Grandmaster Kim
At age four, Grandmaster Kim takes up the study of Taekwondo in South Korea.
Grandmaster Kim earns his Master’s Degree in Physical Education from the Korea National Sport University and graduates as Valedictorian.
A 7th degree Kukkiwon Black Belt, Grandmaster Kim is also:
- President of Korean American Taekwondo Union
- President of North Carolina Taekwondo Association
- Veteran of ten years with the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee
- Coordinator of Korea National Olympic Teams
Grandmaster Kim is a former International and Korean National Taekwondo Champion
Yeah, are you starting to get the idea? He’s a Taekwondo S-S-S-S-superstar, superstar.
Grandmaster Kim is about to test me privately in my backyard Do Jang Shed. Grandmaster Kim coming to my little Do Jang is overwhelmingly thrilling. It’s also great to see Master Ko who just got back from several months in South Korea. Happily I show them my small Do Jang. There are many pictures on the walls of my Taekwondo Journey. We chat about the photos and everything feels fun and casual. As tradition demands, there is an American Flag hanging next to a Korean Flag and, in the center, is a photo of Grandmaster Kim. He sits down in a small folding chair with his photo on the wall behind him.
The Test
I suddenly remember why they are here.
Now my excitement is replaced by nerves. Grandmaster Kim is testing me for my 2nd Dan. Although he is one of the friendliest people I have met and has a fun sense of humor, I can feel the sweat running down my neck as I bow and begin. You would think that it would be more relaxing to test without the audience of strangers that always accompany such events. But often during tests, you perform with other students standing next to you. Now I’m alone out there and both men are focused solely on me.
As expected, the test was tough. Poomsae, kicking, physical endurance, Korean Terminology, blocks and stances all were tested. I had to perform several breaks, including ten boards with a hammer fist. At each phase Grandmaster Kim announced that I passed and Master Ko gave a small applause. The whole experience was very surreal and at the end I was covered in sweat.
Grand Master Kim then asked me why I loved Taekwondo so much? I had to stop and pause to think about that.
My Reasons
I could say I love it because it challenges my body and mind, or because it keeps me in good shape. But that’s doesn’t really describe why I’m so attached to it and why I put my body through all this at fifty five, never planning to stop.
It’s because in a time when so much is going on in the world and there seems to be so much division among people, I can feel connected to something with a long history and a global community; people who really care about helping others find the best in themselves. That is what the Taekwondo journey really is to me and why I’m so proud to be a part of it. It’s a journey of self-awareness and refinement, aiming to bring out the very best in what it means to be a human being.
As Grandmaster Kim wrapped the new belt around my waist, I once again felt like my Taekwondo journey was just beginning. Earning the Black Belt at age 53, I proved to myself I could do it. Getting my 2nd Dan a few days shy of my 55th birthday showed me I could keep it and that I would never quit.
Final Thoughts at Fifty-Five
I am still amazed at the willingness of both masters to do this for me. They made this unprecedented exception during this difficult time and it was an incredible honor to have these two men in my little back yard Do Jang. But I shouldn’t be surprised as they have always lived the lessons they teach every day in their classes.
Much thanks and respect to Grandmaster Kim, Master Lee, and Master Ko. They are shining examples of what I strive to be every day.
- Martial Arts Through The Years: An interview With Michael Robishaw - January 12, 2023
- The Life of an Adult Martial Artist: Is It Worth the Sacrifice? - June 18, 2022
- Motivation and Age: Do You Have Something “Still in the Basement”? - June 11, 2022
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