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moon in the water Blog Tools Rating: Rate This Blog
Creation Date: 04-26-2010 10:46 PM
niall
Offline
rss2
the water does not try
to reflect the moon
and the moon has no desire
to be reflected
but when the clouds clear
there is the moon in the water
Blog Info
Status: Public
Entries: 155
Comments: 1,111
Views: 1,924,159

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In General Del Dennis Entry Tools Rating: 5 Stars!
  #4 New 05-29-2010 03:42 AM
Del Dennis In February this year a friend of mine died. He was a big wide man, with a big presence and a big heart. I first met him 25 years ago when he came to Japan to study aikido. He played the guitar in the street for money in the early years (and he had to be careful of the yakuza who took protection money from street sellers). He had a great voice.

Whenever he saw a new face in the Aikikai hombu dojo he would wonder over after the lesson and say, "Howdy!" He must have said it hundreds - probably thousands - of times to students who came to Japan to train. Many people will remember him with affection.

He was a very kind, gentle, pure, almost unworldly man. He thought carefully about aikido from a self-defence perspective. Sometimes he would ask me about a technique and how it could be used practically on the street. And murmur to himself that he would have to remember it so he could tell the guys in his dojo in New York. Del had a fond picture in his head of Arikawa Sensei walking through Central Park throwing unsuspecting muggers left and right.

Del's Christian faith was very important to him. He wouldn't do aikido on a Sunday and he had trouble with some of the bowing in aikido - especially the Shinto style of repeated bowing and clapping. He sang in the choir at his church. I went to his funeral there and there was a lot of love for him. He was a man who had lived every day full of love for other people.

Sometimes I hear a guitar in the street in Tokyo and just for a moment I think it's Del.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmIDX3RuYQA
Del sounded best in the street with a guitar but this was the only video I could find.

photo: TBC Christmas Concert 2007 used by kind permission of skamegu (http://www.flickr.com/photos/12855366@N00/) under creative commons licence. Del is second from right at the back

© niall matthews 2010
Views: 6240 | Comments: 8


RSS Feed 8 Responses to "Del Dennis"
#8 11-15-2010 08:47 PM
niall Says:
Thanks, Carina. I was just talking about Del last weekend with two friends who knew him. He was a good person.
#7 11-15-2010 12:18 PM
guest1234567 Says:
Niall please think that Del is now in a better place still playing his guitar and looking down at you when you are teaching and maybe doing the same technique with his friends over there.
#6 07-05-2010 09:51 AM
niall Says:
Thanks Ziv. Yeah that was Del, always thoughtful and kind. You're right his duffel bag was made out of dogi material and it had "aikido" in big letters on the back.
#5 07-04-2010 11:40 PM
zivk Says:
... wow, a 3rd continuum: Then, to Yaron's amazement and surprise, it took him just a few minutes to walk Yaron directly to the banana juice vending machine.
#4 07-04-2010 11:40 PM
zivk Says:
... my response continues: Similar to what you wrote, Del came to Yaron to say his famous "howdy" and offered his help to Yaron in organising himself in Japan. Yaron mentioned the elusive banana juice. Del didn't hesitate. He took his bag (which was made of similar fabric as the dogi, and was tattered and worn out) and his guitar, and told Yaron: "I'm gonnna find you this juice". He asked Yaron to describe the place for him.
#3 07-04-2010 11:38 PM
zivk Says:
I've heard this story from my teacher, Yaron Armon. I think it's an example of how hospitable and kind Del was. Shortly after Yaron has arrived to Japan, he wondered around in the streets close to Hombu dojo. He stumbled upon a vending machine and bought himself a can of banana juice. Later on he tried to buy himself again this banana juice, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find a vending machine that sold this particular juice.
#2 06-06-2010 06:23 PM
niall Says:
Dear Joe, Thank you very much for your warm message. It is always a pleasure to read your comments in the forums - they are wise and full of good sense. All the best, Niall
#1 06-06-2010 03:58 PM
sakumeikan Says:
Dear Niall, I found your message to be very moving and while it is sad that your dear friend is gone I am sure the memories of him will live in the hearts of all who knew him.It is good to know Del touched so many peoples lives even for a few short moments in some cases. Best Regards, Joe.
 




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