I’ve been reading this book I borrowed from my Karate Senior. It is called Karate-do: My Way of Life. It was written by the Father of Modern day Karate, Gichin Funakoshi. I think i'm making him my new idol. He lived until past 90 years. He was practicing karate for most of his life and never needed to go to a doctor or take any medicine. He just kept taking care of his body through exercise, in particular, Karate training. If he felt ill or had tummy problems, all he did was start training until his fever broke or until he felt better. More important is how he lived. He lived simply and with a lot of humility. Based on what friends tell me, I need a lof of the latter. Hey, you go live life with a name like Super and you tell me that you wont strive to live up to it. Frankly, I do my best to show humility but even when I do they still think i'm mayabang. Some say its in the way I stand or hold myself erect. How can I control that? I started karate when I was 9. All that training made me and my body the way it is. I can train myself to slouch but why would I want to do that? Some say its my stories. I do have a lot of stories about the things I found, did or just the things that happened to me. I love exploring and doing new things. If people ask me, I now do so only if they ask, then I tell them about it. Why think ill of me if I tell you something that you asked for? Anyway, I cant please everybody so I’ll just go my merry way but will keep humility in mind.

I digress, the book is about how Funakoshi started karate and even talks about his teachers, Azato and Itosu, who were both great karate masters. He had stories about his teachers like how Itosu displayed humility by moving away from a possible fight that he knows he can easily win. In the end, the antagonists realized their mistake and apologized. One of his other teachers, Matsumura, even fought a battle without even lifting an arm. He also talked about how his supportive wife studied some of his katas while he practices and was later became popular in the village because while he was away, his students asks her to correct their mistakes. If you find a copy, go get it :) I did have to order from Amazon.com for mine. It is a fun and funny book about a great man. I think you’d appreciate it even if you don’t practice karate.