How we got started with Karate

Below is derived from the card we wrote to Chief Master Ferrari and his staff last year at Thanksgiving, which describes how we got started with karate and his lordship's studio, adding some details.

"Sometimes I would snap a photo casually without realizing its significance and here's an example.

It happened like this: Nini and I used to go to the Baskin-Robbins icecream shop every Saturday afternoon in a nearby shopping complex. One afternoon as we were about to leave, on the parking lot, I saw the banner of Ferrari's Martial Arts school and I saw kids practicing kicks and punches zealously in the studio room, wearing nice and neat white Karate uniforms with belts of various colors.

Out of blue I asked Nini, "What do you think about Karate?"

"No thank you, not interested." She answered immediately, gently but firmly with the intention of smother her mother's attempt without a lengthy discussion.

As a member of the aspiring middle class parents who generously pours their own unrealized dreams to the kids like an unending wedding champagne fountain, I couldn't escape the social norm and my Nini, like a member of the kids born to aspiring middle class families but shouldered with the mission to move up the social ladder in their loving parents' eyes, got signed up to numerous extra curricular activities, did them, and quit them. Over time, with a huge amount of $ and time, only one lesson is learned: My daughter, is really just an ordinary girl who might have a little "thing" here and there, but indeed, nothing more than that. And over this painful journey, she gradually got tough and learned how to stand up to her mom.

"I don't mean for you, I mean, for Didi..... I've read that Karate helps kids improve attention and focus...... Do you think it might help him?" I thought as I said, and then confirmed, "Seriously!"

She paused for a moment and looked inside the studio a bit, then turned around, "Interesting...... maybe we should give a try?"

So we walked in to the beautiful lady at the front desk who looked at least 20 years younger than her actual age with such a vibrant and friendly spirit on her face, Mrs. Master Ferrari. If you have met Mrs. Master Ferrari, you would know what I'm talking about. It's simply amazing to see someone who instills such passion and elegance in martial arts like her.

On that day, without carrying much hope, Nini tried out a lesson for Didi. After that, she was beaming with a smile, "I think it could help Didi. Let's get him here!"

A few days later, we brought in Didi. (To be continued.)