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Won of White Belt
Won of White Belt
Klose, Robert . The Christian Science Monitor (pre-1997 Fulltext) ; Boston, Mass. [Boston, Mass]27 Mar
1995: 16.
ABSTRACT (ABSTRACT)
IT was only a matter of time before my son approached me with the question eventually faced by most parents of
little boys. He didn't know that I had long anticipated this moment and still had no idea of how I would or should
respond.
"We'll see," I told him, seeking the last refuge of the indecisive. The thing was, at 9 I had been the toughest, most
freewheeling kid on my block. When I thought back on some of the things I did, my son's request seemed tame by
comparison. So why the hesitation?
Now a victim of my word, I took Alyosha to the local dojo to sit in on a lesson. There were about 12 boys, all around
my son's age. All barefoot, dressed in white gis, girded by various-colored belts of rank, and standing shoulder to
shoulder as they heeded instructions from their teacher or sensei, a young, black-belted man of about 24.
FULL TEXT
IT was only a matter of time before my son approached me with the question eventually faced by most parents of
little boys. He didn't know that I had long anticipated this moment and still had no idea of how I would or should
respond.
"Dad," he said, standing before me, "can I take karate lessons?"
"We'll see," I told him, seeking the last refuge of the indecisive. The thing was, at 9 I had been the toughest, most
freewheeling kid on my block. When I thought back on some of the things I did, my son's request seemed tame by
comparison. So why the hesitation?
I guess I blamed it in part on the media, with its explosion of productions involving the martial "arts." I
acknowledge that some of the most good-hearted and moral of the TV heroes use these gravity-defying maneuvers
to right wrongs and implement justice. But the most malevolent also possess these powers: A bad guy is, well,
pretty bad, but when he also knows karate he's really wicked. Add weaponry to the acrobatics and the effect is
mesmerizing.
Of course, I knew that reputable martial-arts schools made a point of de-emphasizing the fighting aspects of their
crafts and highlighting, instead, metaphysical benefits such as self-confidence, self-control, and respect for others.
But to a child, these attributes are simply what must be swallowed, if one is to attain one's principal goal: the
emulation of the characters seen on TV.
I decided to table my son's request for a month, like pouring hot tea into a saucer to cool it off before taking a
small, tentative sip. If he still wanted karate after the waiting period, then we would see, we would see....
The month passed quickly enough. The 30th day dawned bright and clear. I went up to my son's room to rouse him
from bed. "Morning, Alyosha!" I announced. To which he replied, "Karate."
Now a victim of my word, I took Alyosha to the local dojo to sit in on a lesson. There were about 12 boys, all around
my son's age. All barefoot, dressed in white gis, girded by various-colored belts of rank, and standing shoulder to
shoulder as they heeded instructions from their teacher or sensei, a young, black-belted man of about 24.
Alyosha and I sat on the sidelines. The other kids looked sweet enough. Faces like angels. Mindful of their sensei's
every word. Just as I was contemplating their benign demeanors, they snapped into fighting stances and let out a
throaty "Kiai!" that almost bowled me over.
DETAILS
Publication title: The Christian Science Monitor (pre-1997 Fulltext); Boston, Mass.
Pages: 16
Publisher: The Christian Science Publishing Society (d/b/a "The Christian Science Monitor"),
trusteeship under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
ISSN: 08827729
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