Writers Unblocked Magazine Volume 1/ Number 1

That side spoke to his interest
in Japanese art and animé,
the Avengers and all things
awesome.
These were subject areas I had to consciously and consistently keep
up with and absorb new vocabulary on, as the toddler became a
pre-teen, even if, to pretend an informed dialogue from time to time.
Ah, the joys of being a parent! In some ways, it also meant piggybacking
on the imaginative mind of a child compared to a fatigued adult who
somehow forgot to or didn’t find the energy or reason to dream brazenly.
It’s why when I saw a pattern of my son being in “situations” at school and
his teachers saying how fraught he seemed coming back to class from
each recess, something didn’t quite seem right.
“What do you mean those kids did this to you? Why can’t you put
your foot down and be more resolved? You let others walk all
over you and you end up feeling so helpless? Don’t you
know how to use what you’ve learned?” I demanded an
answer from the puny figure standing in front of me,
who I thought was maybe wondering the same thing
himself.
“Karate is for self-defense
mom, not to attack someone
with,” he responded all
knowingly. “Agreed,” I jumped
in. “And your Sensei also told
you it’s a way of life… and he
said if you want to be stronger,
you’ll have to live it each day.”
If there was one thing he
loved most, it was being
at the dojo. The long hours,
relentless practice sessions and
single-minded dedication that
was instilled early on also came with
workshops dedicated to anti bullying, self
defense, and similar all-round training
VOL. 1 / NO. 1 • WRITERS UNBLOCKED
29