When You've Darkened The Door For That Last Time!!

[sensei8]

When you've darkened the door of the dojo/dojang/etc for one last time, what will your most regretful and happiest memories be??

[Lupin1]

I'll probably regret not making it more of a priority. This school year I'll only be doing karate one night a week. I'm choosing to take an academic class the other night we have karate. I feel bad, but there's not time to do everything and choices have to be made. I have a feeling when karate comes to an end, I'm going to wish I had put more time and effort into it.

My happiest memories will probably just be spending time with my instructors and classmates. I've known them since I was eight years old. The older guys feel like uncles to me and the guy near my age is like a (really annoying) older cousin. They're like family. I'll really miss those guys if our program shuts down-- which is a real possibility in the next few years as our instructors age and get burnt out. I'm the only one with the potential to take over and I'm just not motivated to do so right now.

[singularity6]

If this past May was the last time I darkened the door, I'll have lots of regrets, as I haven't been able to finish my journey (I'm only a green belt, still!)

Hopefully my body and life situations settle for me to continue.

[bushido_man96]

I hope the last day I darken that door is the day before my funeral.

Even when I get so old that I can't move well and my knees are shot, and the only thing I got left is a front kick, I hope I'm still hobbling into that dojang, at least to walk around and offer some old-man advise to young whippersnappers who won't listen.

[Spodo Komodo]

I am hoping to get back into the dojo later this year if I can get my chronic fatigue under control. If not then my only real regret would be allowing myself to be pushed into grading for 1st Dan too early. It created a rift between me and some of the older, more traditionally minded members of the club and eventually led me to quit Karate for several years. Happiest memory, too many to choose from but I will always remember the first time I really "felt" a kata. I was practicing Naifanchi for a local competition and everything just clicked. It became almost effortless and my training buddy said it looked sharper than anything I had done before. Unfortunately I didn't repeat the experience in the competition but still managed to come away with a medal so it wasn't too far off. I was never a sporty person before dropping into martial arts almost by accident so without Karate I would never have experienced the euphoric feeling that a well-executed technique can bring.

[KarateNewbie]

I hope the last day I darken that door is the day before my funeral.

Even when I get so old that I can't move well and my knees are shot, and the only thing I got left is a front kick, I hope I'm still hobbling into that dojang, at least to walk around and offer some old-mean advise to young whippersnappers who won't listen.

My thoughts exactly

[sensei8]

Even though that last day will occur, that unavoidable day shouldn't repress ones MA journey whatsoever because it's what one does until that day that truly matters.

Imho!!

[Spartacus Maximus]

When one has been practising martial arts for so long that life without it is impossible to imagine the best to hope for is to be strong enough and healthy enough to keep it up until one’s very last breath.

[JR 137]

IMO you can only regret things you could’ve changed or done differently, but didn’t.

I’m in the dojo as much as I realistically can be. Family and work commitments keep me from training as often as I’d like, but that’s the way life goes. Sure I could’ve made it to a few more classes here and there, but not too many in the whole grand scheme of things.

I train hard every class. I could push myself a bit harder, but that realistically wouldn’t change much.

I wouldn’t dwell on not being able to accomplish something like a certain rank or learning a specific kata. While I’d never feel I accomplished 100% or what I wanted to, I’d known I was on my way the best I could under the circumstances. Can’t regret that.

What’ll I regret? Hopefully I’ll be able to say goodbye and show my appreciation for all everyone at the dojo’s done for me. No awards ceremony type stuff, but a heart felt thank you. I’d regret not being able to if I couldn’t.

What would I miss? Easy - having a good laugh at myself along with my teachers and classmates. I don’t take myself very seriously; when I mess up I can laugh at myself. Usually the others are laughing or are trying not to when I start. And I’ll miss that feeling of struggling with new material and that feeling when I finally get it down.

If I got news today that I could never train again, I’d be pretty devastated. I’d be mad, I’d be disappointed; I’d be a lot of things. I wouldn’t regret anything though. Unless of course my not being able to train was my own doing, then I’d deeply regret whatever I did.

[sensei8]

IMO you can only regret things you could’ve changed or done differently, but didn’t.

I’m in the dojo as much as I realistically can be. Family and work commitments keep me from training as often as I’d like, but that’s the way life goes. Sure I could’ve made it to a few more classes here and there, but not too many in the whole grand scheme of things.

I train hard every class. I could push myself a bit harder, but that realistically wouldn’t change much.

I wouldn’t dwell on not being able to accomplish something like a certain rank or learning a specific kata. While I’d never feel I accomplished 100% or what I wanted to, I’d known I was on my way the best I could under the circumstances. Can’t regret that.

What’ll I regret? Hopefully I’ll be able to say goodbye and show my appreciation for all everyone at the dojo’s done for me. No awards ceremony type stuff, but a heart felt thank you. I’d regret not being able to if I couldn’t.

What would I miss? Easy - having a good laugh at myself along with my teachers and classmates. I don’t take myself very seriously; when I mess up I can laugh at myself. Usually the others are laughing or are trying not to when I start. And I’ll miss that feeling of struggling with new material and that feeling when I finally get it down.

If I got news today that I could never train again, I’d be pretty devastated. I’d be mad, I’d be disappointed; I’d be a lot of things. I wouldn’t regret anything though. Unless of course my not being able to train was my own doing, then I’d deeply regret whatever I did.

Solid post!!

I wholeheartedly believe that most, if not all, of us will miss the camaraderie that were each share and relish with those we truly treasure both on and off the floor.

I most assuredly know that I will miss them/you all when that time arrives in my own journey; these aren't idle words, and I mean this with all of my heart and soul!! I sincerely, from the bottom of my heart, thank each and everyone of you/them for each and everything you/they have unselfishly done for me/my family/my students/my MA betterment/for the SKKA/Hombu, and its Student Body...I BOW TO EACH ONE OF YOU LONG AND DEEPLY!! Each of you have shown and taught me the true meaning of...Proof Is On The Floor!!