Sports | Martial arts » Taylor Meghan Lew - My Journey Becoming a Martial Artist

Source: http://www.doksinet My Journey Becoming A MARTIAL ARTIST an essay by Taylor Meghan Lew 2 Source: http://www.doksinet 1 5 0 0 WO R D E S S A Y What does karate mean to me? My name is Taylor Lew. My school is One Martial Arts My instructor is Professor Brannon Beliso. I’m eleven years old and in the sixth grade attending Presidio Middle School. I first started taking Karate classes in 2004 In the beginning, I remember I didn’t quite like it. After I tested for my solid yellow belt, I started to enjoy it more. The person that I looked up to most was Tansy Mak because she was both a young student getting ready for college and the fact that she was a girl trying to get her black belt. I also wanted to be different than my other girlfriends by taking karate instead of gymnastics. I also wanted to prove to myself that girls can be just as good or Taylor age 7 Derek age 5 even better than the boys in karate. Source: http://www.doksinet 2 5 0 0 WO R D E S S AY

Karate means a lot of things to me. Each one of Professor Beliso’s “Student Creed” is part of my definition of Karate. I also went on-line to read more on Ed Parker’s student creed. I’m doing everything I can in practicing the entire student creed everyday. I really practice student creed #6: “I will use what I learn in class to help others and myself. ” A good example is every Saturday I have been teaching most of the lower belts and I enjoy helping others and myself. Also, this summer, I’ll be volunteering my time at Taylor {5th Annual Inter-School Karate Tournament} the swimming pool at St. Ignatius teaching younger kids how to swim. How cool is that? Source: http://www.doksinet 3 5 0 0 WO R D E S S AY “I will be humble, patient and kind.” Student Creed # 4 is important to me. It teaches me not to be a “showoff” but “to be humble, patient and kind”. For example, after I receive my next belt, I will not brag to other students. Also, when I finish my

race in a swim meet, I would congratulate the other swimmers in the next lane even if they beat me. My parents keep telling my brother and I to be patient in anything we do. An example of being patient is when I’m waiting in the lunch line at school. In this example, being patient is respecting everyone else in TJ & TAYL TAYLOR OR {200 20066 Appr Appreci eci c ati ation at on & Demo Pi Picni cnicc} line. My parents remind me that I should be kinder to my brother even though he’s very annoying at times. Source: http://www.doksinet 4 5 0 0 WO R D E S S AY FOCUS Karate to me is not just self defense and a way to protect yourself, but it teaches me to “focus”. Focus has helped me in my every day life. For example, I must focus everyday in school by listening to my teachers or else I will do poorly in school. Focus helps me concentrate better Another meaning of Karate to me is being “mindful” to others. One way of being mindful of others is to be aware and alert

wherever I am. For example, I would not talk during a movie DEMO TEAM {5th Annual Appreciation & Demo Picnic} especially in a movie theatre. It would not be fair if others cannot hear the movie because I was too noisy. Source: http://www.doksinet 5 5 0 0 WO R D E S S AY TEAMWORK Teamwork is a very important part of Karate. When I watched “Enter the Dragon” with my Dad, Bruce Lee said “the word “I” does not exist”. When we had our 8th Annual Karate Tournament at One Martial Arts, I had to work with Derek and Cameron as a team. One of the challenges we had to do was to stay together at the same pace when performing our team kata. Karate will always be part of my everyday life. Karate is a balance of both physical and non-physical. The physical part is self-defense and the non-physical part is all in the Derek, Taylor & Derek: TEAM X {2009 Inter-School Karate Tournament} mind. Having a balance in anything I do is like Karate Karate teaches me to be one complete

person. Source: http://www.doksinet 6 5 0 0 WO R D E S S AY white belt {honorably awarded 2004} ninja yellow belt {honorably awarded 8.704} yellow belt {honorably awarded 12.404} orange belt {honorably awarded 2.1905} orange-purple belt {honorably awarded 6.1805} purple belt {honorably awarded 8.2005} green belt {honorably awarded 1.2806} green-blue belt {honorably awarded 4.2906} blue belt {honorably awarded 8.2606} brown belt {honorably awarded 12.2306} brown-black belt {honorably awarded 6.2907} black belt {honorably awarded 5.1609}