Your Sensei is the one who has dedicated his life to teach you karate.
You will never have as many years of dedication in because you came after him.
Your Sensei is the one who spent many days and nights opening his dojo, managing it, making it better…for YOU.
Your Sensei is the one who has made sacrifices you will never understand just so you have a place to train, to learn and gain in your art.
Your Sensei is the one who had a lot of costs, has given up his free time and family time…time he could be out doing many other things just so you can learn and
train.
Your Sensei is the one who has invested thousands of dollars in his own training just to learn how to teach you properly.
Your Sensei is the one who has sometimes damaged body, skin and face but still showed up to teach class.
Had a migraine, was sick, had a bad day, had a bad period…, but still showed up to teach class.
Divorced his wife... and did you stand next to him for this period?
Did you maintain and are you still with your
Sensei?
Your Sensei has spent more time in a dojo than most of you that train with him have been alive.
Your Sensei is the one who is always there for your training…
Your Sensei quite often sees a need and fills a need for their students.
He sees that a poor kid who has anything and needs sparring gear and he just go ahead and get it.
He saw that his adult students losing their jobs and says “Don’t worry about paying til you’re caught up”.
This is the role your Sensei plays and it demands respect.
I shouldn’t have had to even write this blog…but, then again, people live in a shallow world these days.
Perhaps we should step out of it, be bigger and better, and then the world will change.
Respect your Sensei, take care of your Sensei, honor your Sensei…
Because, one day, your Sensei will no longer be around.