Cancer Survivor, writing about Health and Fitness as you age

Hard to believe but 6 years ago, my little guy started down the path of karate-do.  I posted this way back in 2009 about his first belt test .  That was quite a feeling for me - the beginning of independence for him. At that time, I had no clue how long he would stick with it, or even that I would be doing it myself. Below - there he is just starting out, and his high white belt. This past April, he tested for his brown belt.  Here he is all geared up for sparring which is part of his brown belt test.  I am so proud of him for staying with the program, helping with the younger students (including me), and doing well within the program. I am thankful for his instructors and all the assistants who helped him along the way. It requires discipline and commitment and that is what makes this success so much the sweeter.

Lucas recently tested for his high white belt (karate) and as I looked in on him through the glass doors to his class, I was overwhelmed by the sense of my little boy on his own in the world.  He looked so small in his white Gi in front of the table where his Sensei, her Sensei and another instructor, sat.  I watched him stand with his weight on one foot, then the other, doing jumping jacks to warm up and practicing kicks and blocks with his classmates. I felt the tears well up and got that old lump in the throat.  I hadn't felt like that in a long, long time with Lucas, why now? I think that unlike his spelling test, where I can help him by reviewing the words with him, or his Maths,  this was something he had to do on his own. I couldn't help him. Heck, I didn't even know what the right moves were!  I guess he is at the age where he will have more and more independent experiences.  I will hold on to this picture of him in my mind, and the feeling th...