If the flag didn’t hit the ground, and if you did your best, it was a success. Honoring the American flag is what is most important in any color guard presentation. Give yourself some grace. Take this as data for ways to improve and have a better presentation next time.

It’s great you and Avi train on Sunday morning together. Both of you can motivate each other. It’s a nice reward to go to Starbucks afterwards for a treat.

I’m so glad you can support each other in this! Way to work together towards the goal!

I’m so glad the CPR class encouraged you to pursue nursing, as currently planned. It’s wonderful how karate affects so many areas of our lives!

Wow! I’m so excited that you’ll be joining us! And I love your reflection. I have found it both humbling and encouraging to do this challenge as one that has already earned the black belt. I’m glad you’ll also walk this path, sensei.

That’s fantastic you are joining the one heart challenge. It will be a memorable positive year and experience. I look forward to seeing you in the dojo.

You’re right, it’s very easy for us as experienced martial artists to hide behind our past accomplishments. The leading cause of death among high-ranking black belts is falling off our own tower of ego that we have built. Your training with our old teachers was at a super formative time of your life, just like it was for me. We were both hungry for the things that we needed and we are able to look back to see how much it changed our lives. Imagine how we are going to look back on 2027–a year of absolute focused effort–and how we’ll see that this too, is a formative time of our life.

Looks sharp!