The test is now over, and I am proud to inform you all that I have passed and am now the first student of the Defense Tactics Systems of Kenpo Karate to achieve promotion to the rank of Black Belt. The test was demanding, as predicted, but what I didn't anticipate was the highly surreal emotions that it aroused.
I wasn't until about four hours in that it finally occurred to me what this means, and all of my anxieties and doubts melted away. What was left was an amalgam of exhaustion, euphoria, pain, excitement and an almost frightening clarity. In past tests, my material would get sloppy as the day progressed and exhaustion led to mistakes. I'm sure I made mistakes this time, too, but the difference is that I was in total control mentally, even if failing muscles and tendons preventing me from performing to my maximum potential.
Is it simply because I've never been pushed this hard before, or have did I get a brief glimpse of the state of mind that many martial arts are built around? Only continued study and even more effort will answer those questions.
The more immediate concerns are more mundane: do my arms work well enough to drive to the store so that I can buy more water; just how much ibuprofen can you take in one day; will the bruises ever fade? Also, I have to wonder if the negative recuperative effects of a cold beer will be counteracted by drinking even more water than I am drinking already. It's a very important thing for me to discover, as I purchased a Sara Witbeir to celebrate and am waiting to quaff it in a toast to victory.
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