It's on the wall and around my waist

[draconis]

Now I just have to live up to it.

At a 3-day martial arts seminar in Indianapolis this weekend, yours truly was promoted to the rank of master.

I'd known it was coming, and even that it was going to be presented this weekend... but I didn't expect my teacher from Nashville to walk up to me Friday night and tell me to "take off that ratty old belt of yours!" and then to tie my new belt around my waist with his own hands.

Saturday was the more formal presentation, including a saki toast to all of us being promoted, from all of "The Big Shots" as I jokingly refer to them (7th - 9th degree black belts, plus Grandmaster Dillman).

So now I have a very nice certificate on the wall, and a fancy belt around my waist... and a hell of a lot to live up to, because neither one of those things will ever make someone a master, or a teacher, or much of anything else.

Comments

[devohoneybee.livejournal.com]

Congratulations, my friend. *toasts you* Life honors us by giving us things to live up to, believing we are capable of attaining that goal, welcoming us to the challenge and the pleasure of the learning that happens in the process of getting there.

[jcbdragon.livejournal.com]

::smiles:: thank you.

Although there are days when it would be much more peaceful and relaxing if Life didn't have such a high opinion of me! LOL

[eponin10.livejournal.com]

Congrats! \o/ *throws confetti*

[jcbdragon.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

And I'm having some serious IconLove over here!

[radarrider.livejournal.com]

Congratulations!

No, those things do not make someone a master. But they are symbols of your achievement, the external representation of what is inside you.

[jcbdragon.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

It is still more than a little bit mind-boggling, to be honest.

To give you an idea of what's involved in this, picture a book of the collected works of your favorite long-dead poet. Now imagine that you are expected to be able to discuss what the poet meant by every single line of every single poem, and preferably being able to give multiple equally-valid meanings for each one. Now add to that being able to give informed responses when someone else who has also read that poem comes up to you and says, "Could Line #5 also mean XYZ?"

Oh, and just for fun, there are also multiple different versions of each poem, with slightly different wordings in some lines, and nobody knows which is the version that the original poet actually wrote... but you're still expected to be able to converse intelligently about other versions when you encounter them.

Sheesh, I'm getting tired just thinking about it! LOL

[kickair8p.livejournal.com]

Oh, congrats! ::applauds!::

~

[jcbdragon.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

I still think that's a hilarious icon, BTW! ::G::

[mzlizzy.livejournal.com]

Congratulations!

I'm sure that you deserve it and will work to stay worthy of the honor.

[jcbdragon.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

and yes, that is definitely my intent!

[laure-nar.livejournal.com]

That's Fantastic!!! Congratulations!!!

[jcbdragon.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Although I'll admit that I'm still having bouts of "OMG how am I going to live up to this on a daily basis?"

[laure-nar.livejournal.com]

Easy.. by continuing to stay the way you are humble and appreciative. :^)

[jcbdragon.livejournal.com]

::S:: "Easy," she says... ;-)