Hard work and dedication

Back in September, Mike and I purchased a membership to the gym where the boys karate school now resides. We had an option as with the merging of our son's school with the existing one at the club ,karate was no longer included with a general gym membership ( as in the past before the boys went there) but now was thirty dollars extra a month as opposed to the sixty per month for non members. From the get go, we were given multiple discounts for having more than one child enrolled and one being a black belt so we really had a pretty good deal from the merge.Since we were originally promised that we , the parents of minor students, could use the facility during karate hours, for no additional charge other than their tuition, we didn't plan on joining but our deal was rescinded ( another story that will probably never be written without my using bad words :-) so we did join. Because of this Mike and I usually spend the karate hour at least once a week in the pool , hot tub, or steam room. With the exception of a couple times when kids with parents who don't feel the need to teach them to stay out of other's swimming lanes ( yes even when they are at the other end )we usually enjoy ourselves. Usually the pool area is kind of dead at this hour when we go but we have on occasion had conversations with others ( who are not too busy on their cell phones to say Hi or even watch their little brats,ummm I mean kids.) Anyway, a few weeks ago there was a man, and a woman with their son. The man wasn't very friendly but his wife told us how they just joined to put their very overweight son into karate in the hopes that he would get some exercise and loose some weight. The woman was delighted to hear that we could give her some positive feedback about karate ,especially since Michael has been in ShotoKan for ten years now. We talked for awhile of the benefits of a good breathing techniques and how Robby hasn't been in the hospital, for inability to breathe since he started karate. I also mentioned the boost in coordination, not to mention self image for both boys. It was then that the lady asked a question that floored me." Is it fun? My response was that yes my boys had fun with it and loved it. The lady then went on to say that life has too many pressures for children and that they need to have fun time. Hmmmm I thought, does she think that this is a play group ? Does she and her child realize that he will have to practice ? Do they realize that muscles can get sore,especially for a child who is severely overweight and out of shape, as he trains? Now far be it for me to criticize anyone who is overweight as I am as obese as they come, OK they do come bigger but I am by no means NOT seriously overweight myself. But I wonder, how does an eight year old ( I believe that she said he was eight ) get to be so large ? Is it too much fun while setting down playing video games and eating Twinkies ? Honestly, lack of exercise and excessive chocolate is my main reason.
The week after our conversation, true to the Mom's words the child joined. When I asked the boys how he was doing( Michael teaches basics to newcomers a portion of every class and friendly Robby always offers assistance where he can )I was told that he was doing OK but as I knew ,it is tougher for a heavy person. Mike and I also found the opportunity last night to watch the end of class after leaving the pool before I took it upon myself to discipline some children while their father sat in his designer sweat suite bragging about his expensive vacation to someone on his phone. While watching the class I noticed quite a few new students. Many were being watched by parents who were obviously wealthy ( something quite common in this area)One woman looked at me as I walked up to watch the class, and snorted as her nose went up in the air and she walked fifteen feet from me. I guess that the shower that I just took in the locker room didn't make me smell as good as she would have liked.
:-(
Anyway class ended and out came the instructor of the school before the merge, who has basically turned all teaching over to Michael & Robby's instructor but remains the PR of the school. He promptly went to these student's parents and told them how great their children were doing ( His age must be affecting his eye sight.... enough said ) Then he came to Mike and I . Michael is really good, he said. We nodded and said thank you. Really, he went on, he does Black belt Kata with us and he does well. Gee, I thought of course he does he earned his black belt when he was twelve by being tested by the vary man who brought Shoto Kan karate from Japan to the US, breaking the record of the youngest U.S. ISKF member to ever earn a black belt. Yes I would say his skills are fair. Anyway we take the PR crap to keep us paying for what it is, just crap to keep us paying. Anyway most people left as Michael spared with his main sensei as they had been doing in preparation for the up and coming National competition. As I watched them spar and Michael actually make the sensei , who is three ranks ahead of him , struggle my mind wandered. How many of these new students will make it to where Michael is ? OK how many will even earn a black belt ? Furthermore, how many will last the year ? How long can they believe that their kids are doing great when some can't even handle their right from left ? How many will get upset when their child, who is wanting nothing more than fun, doesn't advance in the ranks as fast as someone who puts in nightly effort? How many will bail when the pressure of a test to advance comes along ? How many will realize that training hurts, especially when someone is at least one hundred pounds overweight and not used to using most of their muscles ?
As in life itself, everything worth achieving requires dedication and hard work. Would my marriage be as good as it is if I was just in it for fun ? Would my kids have manners( well most of the time anyway ) If I didn't dedicate myself to teaching them ? Does not everything good require some amount of hard work and dedication ? Will our relationship with God be the same if we only pray when it is convenient? I think not. If anything is worth it's benefits,we must work hard and dedicate ourselves.