I Had One of Those Moments at Karate

Sometimes there are moments in life that hit you. Not just make you take notice, but hit you. They make your eyes well up and you feel silly because you are the only person in the room noticing the moment. Then again, at my house, I am the only female and the only mom. Of course I am the only one with tears welling up in my eyes.

Last night Big Brother had his first karate test. The final part of the test was to break a board. As soon as I heard this, I whipped out my iPhone to find out if the hospital they are building down the street was open yet. This is normally the kind of event that will make Big Brother cry and refuse to participate. However, Master Ron has magical powers that I just don’t. For one, he can make seven 5 year old boys sit still and be quiet. I think he has more magic than Houdini or even Harry Potter.

Big Brother was the last of the 4 boys to go up to break the board. He bounced straight up, took his stance, made his practice run, then broke that board clean in two on his first try! The look on his face was the kind of look that makes a mother’s heart glow. He was PROUD. He was smiling larger than the St. Louis arch. He called Grammy and Grandaddy first thing when we got home.

Grandaddy: Hello?

Big Brother: I already said hello.

Grandaddy: Oh. (laughing) What are you doing?

Big Brother: I’m holding a board I broke.

Grandaddy: At karate tonight?

Big Brother: Yeah. I touched it on one, touched it on two, and bammed it on three.

Grandaddy: How did you break the board?

Big Brother: I exercise.

I love the sentiment here. He knew he could break that board because he exercises. He had not a doubt in his mind even after the boy in front of him was unable to break the board. He went up there and just gave it everything he had. Not only am I amazingly proud of my son for even trying, much less breaking the board on his first try, I learned a valuable lesson about believing in yourself.