About 10 years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting a sushi restaurant owner's daughter during my monthly sushi meetup with Jimmy, my old business partner.
She was about 16 at the time. Friendly, smart, discipline, organized as she helped out waiting tables.
I found out she was beyond a straight A student, and quite accomplished for her young age.
Having 2 young daughters of my own (around 6 and 4 at the time), I was curious if there was some secret I needed to be privy to, in order to raise daughters with similar qualities.
Steve said, "Tae Kwon Do".
His daughter was a 6th degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do.
Steve assured me this was a big part of his daughters success at such a young age.
The discipline. The life lessons. The respect.
It was than that I hoped my girls would eventually find their way to the martial arts.
The first attempt failed when I enrolled Kalea into Tae Kwon Do classes when she was about 5 or 6. ATA was the name.
Oh did she cry during the first group class.
And that was it. One class.
Too young and/or not ready.
I kinda forgot about things until my younger daughter Kara asked to try Tae Kwon Do when she was 7.
The closest spot was Tae Kwon Do Plus about half a mile from our house.
There's a video of Squeak in her white belt and headband, at home after the first class, responding to my prompts with palm strikes and kicks.
Her tiny little leggies sticking out for awkward little kicks, along with open hand "palm strikes" (which she now insists were never a thing, and what the hell was I doing... :) )
She stayed with it.
Then Bink joined up for her second attempt 6 months later.
They were in it. They went every week. And in 2022 or so, they both achieved the rank of Black Belt.
While that is truly the "beginning" of the journey in martial arts, Bink went off to high school cross country and track, and had to quit Tae Kwon Do.
But Squeak stayed on. She forged new friendships, and has found her way into a tight "sisterhood" of TKD students and teachers.
In fact, she's now teaching kids after having advanced in the TKD leadership program, and is next in line to become a paid instructor.
She's entered several tournaments and come away with several gold medals, lots of silver medals, and a few bronze medals.
I couldn't be more proud of her resiliency and discipline she has embraced.
It's helped her far beyond the studio. The lessons spill out into all of life, just as Steve said they would.
This is something I hope she continues for the rest of her life, as it's become a safe space for her. A place where she can shut out the rest of the world for a time.