Looking in

I sat in the parking lot looking in through the large front windows. "I don't think I can do this," I told my boyfriend who was sitting in the driver's seat. "What if I can't learn?" "What if I humiliate myself in front of all these people?"

He looked at me and said "What if you never try?" "How will you ever know if you don't give it a chance. This is your dream. If you believe you will, you will."

I entered the dojo on my first day wearing my new white dobok, which is the uniform Taekwondo practitioners wear. I was nervous and anxious to begin. As I looked down nervously, I pressed my freshly painted toes into the floors mats. For just a moment I wanted to disappear.

We were the only ones in the room without a belt to tie around our waist. I felt naked, and I truly was in the sense that I came with no previous knowledge of Taekwondo.

One by one each member came up to me and introduced themselves. The Instructor, who we refer to as Master Lee, came out of his office in the back and sweetly, but firmly, shook my hand to greet me.

I chose this particular dojo because of him. I researched different Martial Arts, so I could decide which style I wanted to learn. Next, I had to find a school. I researched and found local schools and their websites. I investigated their Facebook pages and searched and watched videos of their skills on YouTube. When I found Master Lee I knew right away he was the person to learn Taekwondo from. He was a World Champion from South Korea and has won numerous gold medals for form and sparring. In addition to that, he's humble, charismatic, and funny, but he's also strong, athletic, and disciplined.

We began the class with stretching. Next, we did some cardio, some jumping jacks and running. And finally, I began learning some basics, like how to properly punch and stand in a kicking position.

One of the first types of kicks I had to learn was the front kick, the most basic kick. Master Lee showed me his front kick, so I could learn how to do it. "Knee up and snap!" His kicks are fast, strong, and lethal. My kick was the complete opposite; slow and weak.

But, like any great teacher he built my confidence, and so did my fellow classmates. They kept encouraging me, "Great kick!" and "Your talented." I didn't care if they were telling the truth or not, but I felt good and confident. I kicked over and over again until my legs were sore.

I went home and kicked again and again until I felt it was right. I didn't want to disappoint  Master Lee, my classmates, and especially myself.

This was my dream, and I finally took the first kick in achieving it.

That was about a year ago. Today I am working on my 6th belt in the Taekwondo curriculum and training for my first competition. I also assist Master Lee in teaching children at the school. When I look back and picture myself looking into the dojo for the first time, I smile. I've come a long way.