Yesterday Was A Good Day In The Dojo

Woke up yesterday morning with a nervous stomach.  It was one of those days--I had a to-do list as long as my arm, plus my taekwondo belt test and a school board meeting consecutively in the evening to complicate the logistics.

In our dojo, the belt tests take place in front of the public.  The head instructor calls you up to the middle of the room in small groups to demonstrate your forms, self-defenses and techniques while everyone else watches.  The kicker with the technique part is that you have no idea what you will be asked to do until it is called out.  Thing Two's auditory processing problems did not arise out of the ether--clearly I don't have the problem as badly as he does since I didn't realize I had it until he was diagnosed, but I don't do well with oral directions either--but I actually managed to stay calm and focused all the way through this time.

The last time, I panicked and completely forgot something important, and walked out afterward feeling like a prize idiot even though I had my new belt.  This time, I had the satisfaction of knowing that I'd kept it together.  With my super-mighty industrial strength knee brace and bum knee, there are some things I just can't do on that side as well as I would like to, but I did them the best that I can possibly do them at this point and didn't blank on anything important, which is the best that even this ridiculously type-A overachiever type can ask of herself.  And I managed not to hurt myself further doing it, which is even better.

And the icing on the cake is that I got my new pants.  It sounds silly, but the green belt is somewhat of a divider in the rank system.  Below that, the uniform is white jacket, white pants.  Green and above may wear black pants with their white jackets.  Only black belts can wear the full black gi.  I am a very long way from a black belt, and am taking this one step at a time, but as best as I can figure, the black pants are a sign that you've worked hard enough and learned enough to be officially not a newbie to the game anymore, and I'll be wearing them proudly for that reason alone.  And for purely practical reasons, on those occasions where you have to throw a coat on over the gi and go do something in civilian-land, the black pants stick out a lot less!

But the best part of the day came in class yesterday morning.  The instructor (not the one who tests us) always does a review the day of a test for those who are testing, so it's worth going to the dojo twice.  I was talking to her afterward, and she gave me one of the best compliments I've ever received.  She asked if I would consider helping to teach the junior classes (as an assistant) when I get up another few belts, since it is clear to her that I love to teach and people keep telling her that I'm good at it.  This is a huge honor, and I will absolutely take her up on the offer whenever she decides that I am senior enough in rank.  I walked out of there on a freaking cloud!

Good day in the dojo, indeed.