BUT MANY PRACTICE THAT WAY
Three cats joined the dojo all within one month. They were young in their late teens. All three quickly became captured by aikido and enjoyed many hours of practice, wide eyed, soaking knowledge like a sponge. All three improved quickly. The years passed.
The First Cat was very strong and over time grew strong muscles and would check them out surreptitiously in the dojo mirror when passing. First learnt basic techniques well but mostly trained with lower grades giving them pointers on what to do. Often First would stop their techniques with superior strength and so First’s ukemi became less dynamic and movements gradually stiffer. Not many seniors trained with First. But First could always be counted on to tell people where their techniques were weak and was always “right”.
Second cat was not as strong as First but was very flexible and also learnt basics thoroughly. Second liked both ukemi and practice. Second was outgoing and knew all the dojo members greeting them by name. Everyone wanted to train with the popular Second but time was short in the dojo; there was so little time for Second to catch up with what was going on. And so before training and after training [and sometimes during training], Second would find out about the members’ lives. Second’s techniques progressed mastering basics, but with all the talking Second never quite became masterful.
Third cat was neither the strongest nor the most flexible. Third studied basics with the other two but was never satisfied with progress. Third would constantly review the basics through ukemi carefully taking breakfalls even from beginners. Because Third was so focused on training the other dojo members thought Third shy. Third never wasted words, not talking much at all. Third rarely gave more than one point for a beginner to focus on, instead concentrating on what Third could get out of the practice. Even out of the dojo Third often thought about aikido and related it to other
activities but was constantly aware there was so much to learn.
Over the years the sensei watched all three cats develop and become the dojo seniors. All three were very important to the dojo. First never quite fulfilled the early potential, but could always be counted on to correct beginners. Second was popular and a great asset to the dojo helping to build the aikido community but not enough time was spent on actual training. Third seemed to have the least potential at the beginning but as time went by sensei realised that Third kept a beginner’s mind, had mastered basics, and would continue to develop aikido.
The sensei made Third a teacher.
