I’m sure Jim would have disagreed with that last part. He never thought it was ever too late to learn something new, even from someone already departed. Jim always had simple answers that had depth and elegance.

He urged devotion. Even if we have failed we can renew our resolve. He expressed that in his martial art, in his faith, in his compassion, in his indomitability, in his singing and instrumental performances at church, in his work at the sporting goods store where he always found the time to help people to excel at whatever endeavor they were engaged in, in his frank truthfulness, in his unceasing efforts to teach his students to find their strengths and weaknesses and continually improve themselves, and in his constant search for deeper meaning and higher truth.

I knew him in the ’70s since before Dawn began her training with him. He was everything you said he was. He inspired admiration and respect in everyone he knew.

Even Katie, who had her differences with him, admired and respected him as he did her even after their paths diverged.

I visited his Kandan School by Leeper Park many times in the ’70s, and he was always a gracious host.

He sparred with his students day in and day out, taught them how to train, forms, techniques, fighting spirit and martial skill, and self mastery.

His economy of motion made his practice look effortless. His student would attack with a rapid flurryt and he would peacefully and gracefully stop the attacks and respond with counterattacks applied with a gentleness or forcefulness commensurate with the advancement of the student.

Jim was a great inspiration to me in my earlier days of martial art study and practice. It’s been over 40 years since I began and I’ve always remembered how elegantly and committedly he showed us that we can always achieve something more if we persist. I believe this is true in every aspect of our lives.

Thanks for your gracious words about a great and multifaceted man, a great teacher, and a person who truly spent his life into the lives of others.

Regards,

John

Also, on a whim I looked it up on UD and it is apparently a common use: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=as+balls

I’m curious what the general rate of my experiences is. It’s kind of a weird feeling when you find stories from other people with the same or pretty similar psychoses as you.

I’m happy I quit smoking, I just wish it didn’t take going through the dragon’s mouth to do it.

Now, seeing Jimmy Wales’ photo over the term ankyloglossia, that was fun too. 

Some day soon!

Thinking of the emotron, I’m compelled to remind you that blogs can have pictures. Not that that story particularly needs more visuals.