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Old 07-29-2008, 12:42 PM   #3
cherif morsi
Dojo: shooting club/cairo
Location: cairo
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 10
Egypt
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Re: Special people and Aikido

Dear Marie Noelle

Your story rang a bell as I just came back from a seminar in France (Tamura + Yamada + Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba) and we had two yudanshas (black belts) both with an arm missing and I can assure you they did brilliant aikido despite their severe disabilities and both seemed to really enjoy it.
Also, one of O sensei's ushi deshis, Sugano shihan, has been teaching in seminars with a missing leg for a couple of years or so and you almost forget it when you watch him.
I think it needs determination and stamina to just keep on moving in life after such traumatic events let alone practice and/or teach aikido!
Concerning "special people", I think it is a lot more difficult for obvious reasons but if Jimmy reached blue belt in TWD, that means a lot and is actually touching. Furthermore, it shows he can progress in sports and has that extra stamina a lot of us lack to overcome his own fears and insecurities.
These people are for me REAL heroes and should always be mentioned as true role models.

Cherif
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