The Black Belt’s Journey of Sacrifices and Sweat
It's often said in Martial Arts that the meaning doesn't lie in how good you are or what belt you have, rather the meaning lies in the journey. My journey to becoming a black belt has been long and hard but also rewarding. My journey started when I was quite young and eager to begin something new. When first started doing Taekwondo I was like any new beginner nervous and not sure what to do. I soon found myself enjoying it and having fun not thinking that I would still be here, now, a 2nd Dan black belt.
In many cases it all starts with being a white belt not knowing much or anything at all. The white belt signifies innocence of a student who has no previous knowledge or experience of Taekwondo. Students are given a clean white do-bok and a clean white belt. Although the belt colour changes as the student's understanding and skill level increases, the uniform remains as white as the day as I received it. White signifies innocence and yet it also has many meanings; the absence of colour also signifies purity. This signifies the dawning of a new day in life. As all students wear their clean white do-bok, I am reminded that by choosing Taekwondo, I made the first move in a long and wonderful journey. Part of learning about Taekwondo is to learn about Korean culture, words and numbers. Also the Korean history and how Taekwondo was founded. One of the first lessons I was taught was to respect my elders, family, friends and teachers. But the most important lesson that I was taught is to respect ourselves. That must come first. This has been a really valuable part in my life, Taekwondo has taught me self-respect, and I will never forget it.
Taekwondo is not solely about fighting and being physically strong, it is about honing every aspect of your life. Realizing this has lead me to not only get into the best shape of my life, but to eat better, sleep better, work better, love better, act better, see better,...