I am a third degree black belt

Now don't get me wrong, this is not bragging nor is it pride. It is awe. I grew up in the suburbs of Washington D.C. I was the skinny nerd the whole time I was growing up. I have absolutely no athletic ability at all. None. Everything I have learned to do I have had to learn through blood, sweat, and tears. When I arrived at Air Force basic training in the summer of 1975, seven days after graduating from high school, I was 5' 10" tall and all of 132 pounds. The Air Force sent me to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa in the spring of 1978 and I soon signed up for Judo classes. But I had very little upper body strength and spent a lot of time staring at the ceiling. A year later I had a chance to switch to tae kwon do and I did. I have been there ever since. It is said that a person who attends classes on a regular basis, and sticks with his or her studies, can expect to receive their first degree black belt in 2 1/2 to 3 years. It took me 5. When I was promoted to first dan (1st degree black belt) I thought I had arrived. It was an incredible feat for someone like me. I never thought I'd get that far. I had not been in many fights in my lifetime and the ones that I had been in always had me coming out the loser. I promised myself to learn not to be anyone's victim ever again. I thought I'd study enough karate to not have to be a pushover for anyone. I was so proud when I made that 1st degree promotion. It was December 1984 when I got my first degree. Now it is March of 2011 and I get my third degree. I never thought I'd go so far. But I would have done nothing without the friendship and support of my teacher and friend Grandmaster Richard Osborn Jr. and his group of black belts and students at Next Level Sport Karate in Springfield, Missouri. Without their help and encouragement I would still be sitting on the couch watching movies and thinking how neat it would be to get back involved in taekwondo. Without them all I would be nowhere near where I am now. A few notes about the test. They did not make me do as many things as they could have but the things they made me do pushed me to my limits. I have never seen a group of instructors who were so fond of push ups. It has been 4 days since the test and I am still sore in places I did not know I could be sore in. A funny moment occurred while I was performing the form HwaRang. In the beginning of the form I managed to punch myself in the side of my head. I am amazed I have gotten this far. I will be forever grateful to Master Richard and his staff and students for the great favor they have honored me with. I will not forget what they have done for me. All I can say is "Wow!"