Target Body Parts

My Blue Belt Test Report

I will observe the principles of Taekwondo                                                                                                               By: Merry Haymond

The five (Tenets) or principles of Taekwondo are:  Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self Control, and Indomitable Spirit.

Anyone that can live their life by following ALL of these principles will find themselves a fairly balanced person.  Each principal compliments and helps control the others.  For example, a person may desire to have a new bike.   There are many ways to go about getting that bike.  One way is working hard to earn the money.   Another way is to steal it.  By stealing the bike we may show Perseverance and an Indomitable Spirit but we are not showing Integrity or Self control.  By working to earn the money to buy the bike we show Self Control by waiting until we have earned enough money. Perseverance by continuing to work day after day. We also show Integrity because we are choosing to pay for the bike honestly.   You can’t go too far wrong if you are truly trying to live by each principal of Taekwondo.

Some people may find that some of the principles come more naturally then others.  I feel confident in most of these principles; in some I need a lot of work.   That is the beauty of this mortal life, it is the time to learn and have experiences, to make mistakes and correct them.  This is the time to become a better person then I was before.   I am grateful that even though I am not a perfect person, and I struggle with things in my life, I know that God is a merciful and loving God.  He knows me personally.  He sent me here to refine and improve myself, not to suffer and be miserable.

We don’t have to wander this life not knowing who we are or where we’re going. We have a road map and instructions.  It is US that choose to take a different route and that’s where we hit our dead ends and pot holes.  Dead ends and pot holes are not necessarily bad things unless you choose not to learn from them.  We have to face road blocks, hills, flat tires and broken wind shields in life.  We would never become better without challenges to help perfect us.  I’m grateful that with those challenges I have instructions on how to face them. 

I often find myself wanting to run before I even know how to crawl.  I want to do things that are beyond my capabilities… at the time.  I must learn to crawl so that I can understand and have the ability to walk.  I must learn to walk and gain the wisdom and strength to run.  Then one day I will run, continuing in knowledge and faith, and find I have wings to fly! 

I know I need to learn line upon line, precept upon precept.  I need to learn the basic principles in life and once I have learned those I can expand on them until I am a master of each one.  We cannot give up on things that feel tiresome, too hard, or inconvenient. I found this to be true with religious beliefs, parenting, schooling and even Taekwondo.  Here is how the principals of Taekwondo helped me stay focused.  Courtesy helped me stay committed to my Instructors. Integrity helped me be honest with myself for why I wanted to quit. Perseverance helped me keep going even though I was physically and mentally tired!  Self Control is something I hoped would become a strength as I continued in Taekwondo.  Indomitable Spirit… I will have my ups and downs, but I have an Indomitable Spirit!