Thank You Mom! No, Thank You!

     You don’t know something...Google it.

          You don’t know someone...Facebook or Linkedin it.

               You don’t find something....MOM!!!!

We all have great stories about our moms. Do you remember all the little sayings they would come up with? How about, “I can’t wait until you have children of your own.” Or, “I don’t know is not an answer.” And the best, “I will always love you...no matter what.”

Moms do incredible things for us. Moms make sacrifices for us, cook for us, care for us...and love us. My mom was Wonder Woman; she was active, artistic, a baker and master cake decorator. In my book, “It’s Not About the Belt....” I tell several stories about moms, including my mother. One of my favorite stories involves the mother of one of my students.

I was teaching a Dah Do session which is designed to enhance the spiritual aspects of the Martial Arts and explaining the four pillars of Enlightenment (Eat Healthy, Meditate, Drink Green Tea, and Perform Random Acts of Kindness). This mother shared this with me; she was taking her son to work in the city. As they exited the subway a man dropped his briefcase, scattering everything. People stepped around or on top of his belongings, including this mom. Her son tugged on her arm and said, “Mom, we should help him.” And they turned around, helping the man.

This mother was both happy and disappointed; happy and proud of her son, who was so willing to help a stranger in need, yet disappointed in herself for not thinking or offering to help. She learned a lesson about awareness and seeking opportunities to help others from her 10 year old son. I too was proud of her son, a Black Belt, for living up to the standards set for him as a Martial Artist, he demonstrated Black Belt Character and was able to demonstrate that to both a complete stranger and his own mother. This is the essence of living a Black Belt Life. And by the way...you don’t need a Black Belt to act like one.

So while it’s great listening and learning from our parents, and especially our moms, it’s refreshing to know our children can teach us something too. I learn something from my children every day.

What about you, what has your child taught you recently?

If you would like more information about our UMAC Family Program please visit me at my school. And please read my weekly blog every Monday providing insights on "Living a Black Belt Life" and please share this with your friends and family.

Thank You!