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Micah,
I share this letter with you for the whole world to see so that you know how proud I am of you. At twelve years old, you have accomplished something few others will. While few will earn a black belt, fewer still will dedicate eight years - or two-thirds of their lives - to learn, overcome, and accomplish something. You have proven to all that you are strong, fit, and capable of defending yourself, your friends, and your family. More importantly, you have proven that you can stick with something when it is difficult and boring.
In your first class, the instructor told you to "duck," and you struggled even with that. Later, you couldn't remember which of your ten combos was which. At other times, you were frustrated with escaping simple holds while sparing, or worried that you couldn't do 50 pushups in one minute. And countless times, you just didn't want to go to class. For your whole life, I pray that this milestone will remind you that you can overcome great challenges with time, effort, and, above all else, persistence.
You certainly reminded me!
Papa
December 7, 2024
