義兵
Gihei
A warrior dedicated to a righteous cause
The best warriors are dedicated. This week was the third anniversary of Steven Shaw’s passing and the 15th anniversary of Furuya Sensei’s. As I thought about Steve, the word which came to mind was gihei (義兵) or “a soldier who is dedicated to a righteous cause.” After Furuya Sensei had passed away, Steve would religiously come back from Colorado to attend his memorial service. In 12 years, the only one Steve missed was the year he passed away. In the beginning, many others were dedicated too, but over time, most others found new teachers to follow, better opportunities elsewhere or just simply forgot. I remember, one memorial when I went to pick up Steve at the hotel and he came down 10 minutes late. We were on a tight schedule, so I was a bit annoyed at his tardiness. When he got into the car, he casually apologized with his characteristic big smile and began to explain why he was late. As he explained, he beamed with pride as he told me about FaceTiming with his daughter who was showing him a piece of art that she had created. I remember him saying, “It was so cool” and ending it with “Man, I love my kids so much.” At the end of his explanation, he just said, “You’ll see” as he touched my arm knowing that my wife was pregnant and due in a few months. He was so happy and glowing with pride that I didn’t have the heart to be mad at him. I will always remember Steve as being a dedicated teacher, husband, and father. Steve’s memorial is in the same week as Furuya Sensei’s. Each year, it becomes harder and harder to remember them. The easy thing would be to just forget them and just “move on” with our lives. However, being dedicated means not forgetting which helps us to remember the lessons they were trying to teach us. Thus, like Steve, I strive to be a dedicated teacher, husband, and father. Remembering his life helps me to not to forget to live mine. When I think of Sensei and Steve’s passing, it makes me sad, but remembering them helps to remind me to be dedicated. The best warriors are dedicated long after everyone else has lost theirs.
Today’s goal: What can you be dedicated to?