I remember very vividly when I passed my black belt, the euphoria the ego the sleeping holding my belt. It had been such a hard long road. I think I was eighteen and of course knew everything there was to know. 

In my dojo called the Tonbridge club near Kings Cross at the time, probably one of the toughest areas in London (you would never believe it today) there was a private training/changing area and on the door it said 1st Dans only. 

On passing my grade I went up to my Master Suzuki and said to him. “Sensei I can now get changed with all the instructors as I am now a first Dan.”

He looked at me long and hard and said nothing. He walked over to the office and picked up a big felt tip pen walked over to the sign put a line through 1st Dans only and changed it to 2nd Dans only.

It is not arriving that is the most important it is the journey that makes the person.

Always honour your teachers without them there are no students.

Dai Master Raf

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