Chapter 38: Onegai Shimasu

His eyes are taking in his surroundings, his pulse is beating faster and faster and his thoughts are only on one thing "I'm going to do it, this is it, today is my day." Sensei enters the room and all falls quiet, respect is permeating from his eyes as he looks and spots Senseis' black belt, one day, he thinks to himself, one day.

Sensei looks over the group and asks the initiates to kneel on the mat and start their Seiza Meditation. Kneeling he closes his eyes and begins to feel the rise and fall of his chest, in, out, in, out. Sensei rises and again all eyes are on him, the Karate 12th Kyu Review had now begun.

Zachary has been in Karate now for almost a year and the time came when his instructor (Sensei) felt he could review for his white belt. He was very excited and very nervous at the same time, he had been working so hard and had been talking about earning his white belt for some time. The review itself was nearly heartstopping for me, when someone who is teaching you child says "Now remember parents your child may be hit or bumped or bruised" you tend to be on guard. Zachary did an outstanding job in defending himself and it at times seemed like I was a part of a video game, I would try to duck the punch or move to the left, move to the right or jump out of the way, and the last part of the review when Sensei really comes after them and makes them "fight" (for lack of a better term) I really, really had a hard time just sitting in my seat and watching, but he did it, he showed off all the things he has learned in this past year and he really proved that he deserved his white belt. What a day for him to treasure!!!!