Double Dragon Sansie Goju-Ryu Karate-do Organization

 I am not sure if I am up to teaching classes on Saturday but I must. We  are still in morning and the service for Grandmaster Saavedra is about  two weeks away. Why I am having class? The answer is simple but yet more  complex than ever. At the wake one speaker mentioned this: “We will  never get rich from teaching Karate.” this is not entirely true but does  have merit. All riches are not financial. However, your time spent may be equivalent to funds lost and this may result in a negative impact on the school.  So before I teach any student I take months deciding if I am going to  spend, immediately, the next three years of my life on this person and I understand that accepting one student means I must teach at least  fifteen to twenty students to teach this person properly. So why classes on  Saturday? Simply, if I do not run classes my new Karatakas will not pay  for them, I will not be able to spend the time to teach them. I have  already committed at least three years of my lift to them and they are now coming at least this time to learn from me. However, because I must cover the cost of  the time used to teach, cover the overhead, and also understanding that I cannot earn funds doing anything else when I commit to teach a student or students, I must run the class for them. The best student may take the rest of my life teaching them. The most important point is  no more money, no more classes, no more karate, because the teachers of  karate have to survive and must create income to do this. So if you  think I am having class when I should be morning the loss of my teacher,  you are wrong, the reason I will have class on Saturday is because I  must work to get the money to allow me to spend my time teaching my  students in order to honor the legacy of my teacher. So Masters! please  never dear to bring this subject up to me again until you are a  Grandmaster yourself and understand more as there is more for you to  learn. I offer you this: A karate student goes through the identical phases as ‘your’  child. In many cases they are closer to their teacher than the teachers own  children. This, why, will take you a lifetime to understand. I will mention  one more thing, your children do not pay you and that is why karate  students have difficulty at some point paying you also, for things they do not understand they owe you for, as they age life  pressures them with other responsibilities.

Here is a thought:  ( how much did you pay  Grandmaster Saavedra in the last, lets say two years. Please understand I an only making a kind point, how much did your adult children pay you  in the last two years. Our society is not as it was for out teachers. ) Our students will  pay by pleasing us with their achievements  for a job well done. You can only ask and sometimes they will understand why ans will help, but be happy with the fact your students are doing well. I promise they will hurt at your passing more  than anyone can ever imagine, and only a karate student can understand when that moment in you destiny finally arrives before them. 

I love you all as  my teachers love me, and I love him.

Sincerely,

 Grandmaster Arthur DeBuc ATP. 10th Dan.