An old friend, Kyoshi Dan Reizner recently visited South Florida. We trained together for quite a few years. He was and is again my Karate brother. It was great seeing him again. We recalled some fond old memories. As teens, my mother would bring me to his house and he and I would train in his back yard. We would condition our knuckles by using a tree as a makiwara. Sparring was almost always a requirement when he and I trained together. We put plenty of miles on our "Silver Bullet" sparring gear back then. We recalled a time at American Masters Martial Arts dojo where Sensei Smith gave us each a red brick and told us to take them outside and don't come back until we've broken them with our bare hands. That kind of training is difficult to find these days. But if you currently study under Master Reizner, you are very familiar with it. I'll save the stories I heard about Master Reizner's Black Belt "retreats" for another time.

No matter how badly you want things to stay the same, change is often inevitable. Much has changed since I last trained 17 years ago. But one thing has stayed the same; the sense of brotherhood amongst karateka. I was welcomed back by both Master Smith and Master Reizner with open arms. I am now an assistant instructor (Sempai), under Sensei Les Cheek. In the 6 weeks or so since I've been back, a brotherly bond has already formed between Sensei Les and myself. That sense of family and belonging is incredibly meaningful and is important in leading a balanced life. I have now extended my family by re-establishing relationships with a brother (Master Reizner), an Uncle (Master Smith), and have gained a new brother, Sensei Les.

Domo arrigato Senseis!