The Cure for anything class project

1. Personal Essay 4/13/2012 | 11:43 PM
Author: WESTERMAN, STEVEN Rating: --
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So it had all come down to that final moment -- Man vs. Brick. That was the final obstacle between me
and my black belt. I could still remember the first day when I
walked into the World Martial Arts Academy. I was nervous and excited all rolled into one. There were
trophies lining the walls, some tall, detailed with stars and stripes and
figures of martial artistmen on top. There was the smell of sweat permiating throughtout the room -- proof
to anyone who walks in that intense training was taking place. I was
greeted by a tall Asian gentleman who had a thick Korean accent. With a deep strong voice that went
through you and made you well aware that he was the Master, he said,
"Hello. My name is Kevin Bong, how can I help you?". I felt a bit intimidated because of his size but I could
see in his eyes that he was a kind man. He was dressed in the white
standard uniform but his tattered and worn blackbelt was proof of his many years of experience. We sat
down at a semi-circle chair that was faded orange, not something
you would expect to seein a martial arts school. It was more suited for a restaurant or a night club. After
explaining why I wanted to learn martial arts, I gave him the fee we
agreed on, which happened to be exactly $65.00. That was all the money in my wallet.
Even though I was 28 years old at the time and a Veteran of the military, I still felt awkward and
unsure of myself in the class. But that soon passed as I made friends
and became more familiar of the customs and the trainings. You could say I was a very hyperactive
individual, and this was the perfect thing for me. It taught me how to react
to different situations like someone trying to rob you at an ATM machine. I was shocked when the instructor
told us not to fight back. I expected him to say to kick them or
disarm them. But instead he said, "give them the money because it's not worth fighting over. Your life is
more important than any material thing." Master Bong was always
good at inspiring me. There where many times I though I was going to pass out and couldn't move anymore
during training. He would say "keep working hard, push through
the pain, the more sweat and blood you shed here the less you will shed in a fight." With every belt and every
broken board, my confidence grew and I began to really believe
in myself. Not just my physical abilities but my ability to control this anger I had been carrying around. It was
like a backpack full of rocks that I couldn't shake off. It seemed
like with every passing achievement in the martial arts, a rock fell out of the pack.
As I stare at this brick in front of me, I think about all the moments before this when I thought this is
impossible. The memory that sticks out the most is the first time I
had to break two one inch boards together while jumping and spinning 270 degrees in the air. I had
practiced this technique hundreds of times on kicking targets, sometimes
unsuccessfully, I might add. I calmed my mind, and visualized my foot making contact directly in the middle
of the boards. Time seemed to stand still as I charged myself up
like a windup toy. Then in a flash, I hear the boards crack and I am standing there in awe of what had just
happened. Its as if my body moves on its own, like it knows exactly

2. what to do. It is in perfect sync and each limb is in harmony with each other. It is one of those moments
that even the memory make my heart race and my body fill with
pride.
This is the moment I had worked for these past four years. The Master reminds me "if you believe
you can, it will happen." These words filled my head, I steadied my
heart and I swelled with energy. I take one step forward then I jump, take flight, and with a loud yell that
could be heard in the next county, all that is left after the dust settles,
is a crushed brick and a man with his dreams fullfilled. I could feel the sweat dripping down my face as I
realized that I became a blackbelt.