Sensei Bowers and I typically spend about 15 minutes after class thanking each other, as well as Sensei Walker and myself thanking each other for the bruises we exchanged last Tuesday.

We thank Grandmaster Mills for giving us our lineage. We thank our Sensei’s for our weekly lessons, but there are those we don’t thank enough, so here is our chance …

At the Halls Dojo there is a young man with the rank of orange belt. I do not recall his name but am sure it will be supplied to me. Last Tuesday during kumite he shot up a beautiful kick that caught me square in the head, he instantly apologized as if he had done something wrong until I started to laugh and told him it was the prettiest kick I’d ever been hit with. Thank you for reminding me it can happen anytime and for reminding me why I show up day in and day out.

Other Thanks, Ron Chesney for being my training partner and kata conscience these last five years.

Terry Chesney for bringing me back to Isshinryu whenever I stray, and the students from North Knox and Halls Dojo’s for reminding me how much fun this is … THANK YOU!