Everyone's passed…
by Peter Chin
Saturday, March 22nd, approximately 4:30 PM. At the end of the day of my first aikido seminar, Fran Turner Sensei, seemingly without warning, says two very meaningful words—"Everyone's passed." I had not realized that she would announce (so casually) at the end of the seminar, the results of the tests.
This was in a sense, the first completed stage of a journey which began for me last September. I was always interested in doing a martial art, but had always been too busy with some other sport or another—soccer, track & field, rugby, squash, field hockey. The list goes on and on.
Last August I was browsing through the Toronto Board of Education Continuing Education Studies Calendar and noticed that aikido was offered at a couple of places. I checked the locations, realized that one of the locations was convenient for me, and decided to enroll. It was only once a week. I reasoned I could spare the required two hours each Wednesday evening.
Before the end of the first class I was hooked, and by the 5th or 6th week I had decided to start going to the dojo because once a week was no longer enough. The first few weeks at the dojo were a little intimidating, especially because it seemed as if everyone knew everyone else. Not only was I an "outsider", but I was the worst person there trying to do aikido! I could still be the worst aikidoist in the dojo, but at least I don't consider myself as an "outsider" anymore, so I guess one out of two isn't too bad.
When I first realized that I was going to be testing I started to panic…I would never be ready, I wouldn't remember any names or techniques, or get the name and the technique to match. I probably wouldn't even remember my name. It's kind of funny, because I don't really remember much about the test—except that Remy seemed to fall when he was supposed to—it just seems as if I lost a few minutes of time somewhere along the way.
I'll always be nervous about testing but I don't think it will ever be as bad as this first one.
"Everyone's passed…" I was at once surprised, pleased for myself, and pleased for everyone else who had passed. "Everyone's passed…" Two words filled with a lot of meaning, signaling at the same time an end—of some mysterious rite of passing—and a beginning—of a trip for which fortunately (or unfortunately) there is no end.
I would like to say a few thank you's. To Oleg for introducing aikido to me last September. To Fran Turner Sensei for making our dojo as wonderful as it is. To all of you who offered encouragement and help with my training. Oh yes, and to Remy, who did fall down on cue—part of my 6th kyu belongs to you.
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