05/09/2021
Happy Mother’s Day!
Celebrating Mothers in May!
There are many mothers of students in Moo Duk Kwan who support their families from the sidelines. Mothers often play a major role in the success of the Dojang as active volunteers and outspoken advocates of the art. Stephanie Fitts is a student of Jared Rosenthal SBN at Oregon Moo Duk Kwan, USA and she is one of those extraordinary moms. We asked her to write about her experience as she is the future of our art and an inspiration to us all.
Here is her story:
After 7 years of supporting my husband and children in their Soo Bahk Do training, I stepped into my own martial arts journey during Covid Stay at Home orders. Rosenthal SBN was teaching over Zoom, and my family had removed our dining room table so everyone could have space to train in our home. I found myself learning Gecho Hyung Il Bo and my first Ahp Cha Nut Gi while trying not to hit my head on our chandelier.
My oldest child, Mackenzie Persinger Jo Kyo Nim, graciously trained alongside me in those early days, answering my questions with gentle patience, articulate depth of knowledge and persistence in teaching until I understood. What beautiful role reversal - child teaching parent, teen instructing adult, my progeny suddenly my senior - and what humbling reality that my children are now my teachers thanks to the depth and breadth of the Moo Duk Kwan. I feel tremendous gratitude to the many instructors who invested in my husband and children and who now continue to invest in me.
My personal history has included decades of significant health challenges, so martial arts was not something I originally considered possible in my life. But as I watched my family train in our local studio, Regional and National events, I came to understand that Soo Bahk Do is about a healthy lifestyle and mental, emotional, physical longevity as much as it is about self-defense.
At a US National event, it is common to stand in a room with wildly capable 20-somethings who can spin and jump and move in truly impressive ways. But they stand shoulder to shoulder with practitioners who overcome all sorts of physical challenges or who are in their senior years and still enjoying excellent health. That sight reminds me that there is a home for me here.
So I would say to other parents, “Come join us, truly. Know that it’s ok to be where you are today and reaching for more tomorrow. You will find, as I have, a community warmly welcoming practitioners of all ability levels who are walking together toward futures of health, wealthness and strength.”
Happy Mother’s Day to each of you - mothers, daughters, practitioners, and friends. In our family, we head off to every class with this reminder, so I will leave it with you today. “Work hard. Do your best. Have fun. Loud kihaps.”
Soo Bahk!
