My body was small. Not just a little small, but very small. In my first physical exam in my first year of high school, I didn’t even reach 150cm. But starting from my second year of high school, I began growing more than 10cm a year. Whenever I ate and turned around, my stomach would already be growling again, and even while sleeping, I would wake up to eat ramen and then go back to sleep.
Because of the pain, I complained to my parents that I was starving, and because of that, I even quit school for a while. Toward the end, I even felt (?) as if my flesh was melting away overnight, to the point where I could believe it.
When my growth spurt started, my legs hurt. They weren’t injured, but at night my legs would just ache. I remember my grandmother and mother massaging my legs until they fell asleep.
Now I understand that it was growing pains, but I remember crying to my mother back then, saying my legs hurt.
From May 24th to May 29th of last year, I visited Japan to attend the 56th All Japan Aikido Demonstration. My previous visit to the All Japan Demonstration had been 12 years ago, when I attended the 44th event.
From Jeju Island, a total of 8 people, including myself, attended, and among them, 6 were female members. This event began with a training session visiting the dojo of Yasuo Kobayashi Sensei, Chief Instructor of the Korea Aikido Association (a corporate body), and the following day included attendance at the All Japan Demonstration and training with the World Headquarters, as well as a planned official event to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Sensei Igarashi.
Amid intense training and a packed schedule, many things happened during this short trip.
During the demonstration, there were also some awkward moments in etiquette, and I made quite a few mistakes during the training at the World Headquarters visit as well. Though there were many mistakes, it was still a joyful time throughout the trip.
But because I didn’t speak up about it, there were probably many things that others found awkward as well. Since it had been 12 years since I last attended such an event, I made a lot of mistakes, and I feel a mix of regret and gratitude toward the Executive Director, who attended as the representative of the Korea Aikido Association (a corporate body) after visiting the World Headquarters for the first time in so long, and who I think I caused a lot of trouble for.
Even so, it was a precious time during which I could learn many things. I got to understand a little of Yoon Dae-hyun Sensei’s mindset, and I could vaguely sense what kind of mindset a leader ought to have. Throughout the trip, I couldn’t fully understand the members’ actions, but now that it’s over, I’m starting to understand a little more—what was lacking, and how I should prepare going forward.
Because of my shortcomings, the members suffered, and my behavior caused discomfort to those around me.
Growing pains. I, who never even reached 150cm, went through many nights of growing pains to become who I am now. Over the past 15 years, through many setbacks and difficulties in the dojo, the Aikido dojo of today was built. If we get through this experience, the Jeju Aikido dojo will grow into an even more mature form. Just as it always has.
