I’ve been one for a little over a week, and I must say I don’t feel any different.  You know, so many people put so much emphasis on getting this belt that is the absence of color, they put such a weight of gravity on it that you almost think that once you’ve reached this milestone that things change. They really don’t.  I was about to type that I don’t feel any different before as I do now.  However, it isn’t true.  I actually feel sub-blackbelt now as opposed to a few weeks ago.  Reasons:

1. I started having ber and wine again. Not a lot, but a drink is a drink.
2. Injuries (toe, knee) have caused me to curb my training and do just teaching.

The only difference I’ve had so far is what other people think of me. There have been a few reactions to it so far from the people that have seen me train or that I help to teach:

• a little more respect from the students that are close to black belt
• congratulations from students parents
• shock from students that weren’t at the test, and this has been said to me after the new belt is viewed. “You’re not a Blackbelt!”- that is by far my favorite

In the midst of writing this blog, I was speaking to my friend in regards to the same topic. My friend Randi basically told me the following:

Randi: i’m sorry that you don’t feel different doing your blackbelt, but the thing is, you did all of that training so you knew you were ready for it, so basically you were doing the same thing before, but now you gotten certified for it. and you know not many people make it as far as you and have the strength to do so. i saw you breaking those boards and i saw a smile at one point.

The truth is, that I think that my friend is right. I’ve heard that 1 in every 10,000 people can become a Blackbelt.  At another school 1 in 400 that starts as a White belt becomes a Blackbelt. I don’t know if these ratios are correct, but being one of those select few, doesn’t feel like I’ve accomplished anything.  Its more like I’ve still got more to accomplish.