The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Four years ago had you asked me where I would be today, my answer would definitely not have been NORTH; straight north to Flin Flon, Manitoba. After moving here four years ago, life has changed dramatically for myself. I searched high and low for something to keep me busy and keep my mind off of 'back home'. After two years of searching, I tried my luck at the martial art of Tae Kwon Do. Needing something to keep my mind active as well as my body physically fit, joining a gym at the time was unheard of for me. I always seemed to struggle with self-discipline when it came to new undertakings. A friend and I decided to sit on the sidelines and watch a class, which was then at the Flin Flon Community Centre. There we were sitting and sweating, watching them kick and punch as though their lives depended on it, thinking I could never possibly do that. Little to my knowledge the word "never" and "can't" would not be part of my vocabulary in the future. After much deliberation I decided to join the Flin Flon branch of Kang's Tae Kwon Do club to try my luck at this martial art. And so it began. I was suited up in a fresh and crisp Gee and a White belt. Easy enough, however, ten minutes into class and I thought I would throw up! Front snap kick here, round house kick there, all this new terminology was overwhelming. I felt as though I had two left feet. There were kids under 10 who were performing better than me. How difficult could this be? Surely I would grasp this with ease and grace. However, I would soon learn this was more difficult than I had ever imagined, but also one of the best things that has ever happened to me. We met every Tuesday and Thursday night from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and would workout to our heart's content. Grasping patterns in the beginning seemed easy enough but became more of a challenge as time passed by. The learning is never ending in this martial art because with each pattern comes more moves to remember. Each move so precise and graceful. There were so many times when I simply felt like giving up. With the support of the other members of the club, my family, as well as the Master Instructor, I continued on. Being a perfectionist never made this sport easy for me, as I wanted to be the very best right away. Giving up just seemed like the easiest thing to do. "Perhaps I will try something else." This was a favorite line, as I never seemed to stick with anything. The new Dojang opened its doors in Flin Flon in June of 2002 and everything was fresh and new. We were revived and refreshed. Ever since that day I have not looked back. I persevered and pushed forward, setting more lofty goals as I went along. Some nights I wondered if I would make it to the end of the class. But I did. Days, weeks and months went by and I found myself madly in love with this martial art. I set my goals to the best of my capabilities; never too high and never to low. All of this cumulated to one very day which was August 16, 2003, one of the brightest and proudest days of my personal life. In the presence of approximately 200 people, I stood strong alongside my teammates and onlookers in the Winnipeg headquarters of Kang's Tae Kwon Do Academy to test for my 1st Dan Black Belt. I sat patiently cross-legged for five consecutive hours wondering when my turn would be up. Finally it was my turn and amongst the nervousness and anxiety, I gave everything I had to my performance. It all came down to that very moment and let me tell you it has all been worth it. I have never felt such a feeling of accomplishment and pride. Don't get me wrong. This is not the end, as I shall persevere to the next degree of a Black Belt. Knowing my own personality and the fact that I never finished any projects in the past, I was beside myself with happiness, feeling as though I had completed one chapter of a book and was about to begin another exciting epic adventure. There is so much to learn when it comes to martial arts. Most of all Tae Kwon Do has taught me perseverance, self-discipline, patience and knowing I can accomplish anything if I just put my mind to it. Nothing comes easy in life and there is usually a lot of hard work involved, but the end results are always so gratifying. So I sit here typing away thinking of how quickly time has gone by and wonder where I will be in four years, even two years from now. One thing is for certain Ð Tae Kwon Do will always be part of my life in one way or another.
