From Michael Mackay, Go-dan
Midtown Karate Dojo
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"The Wall"

This week we celebrate the 70th anniversary of Grand Master Ansei Ueshiro's birth, even while mourning his loss less than a year ago. Many of us will honor the occasion by participating in a katathon, reenacting on a minute scale Ueshiro Sensei's life-time marathon in bringing Shorin-Ryu karate-do from Okinawa to the United States.

Some of us will not make it to our 100th kata. We will stop when we hit the wall, or see it looming, or before we even reach the halfway point. Or we'll miss the event altogether because of some competing interest.

The next time you put on your gi, remember that for many years Hanshi Ueshiro faced the challenges of a marathon runner on an almost daily basis. Each time he reached "the wall" he continued right through: an indomitable spirit born from the simple refusal to accept defeat. A spirit that grew into a mission. A mission that became a calling heard by Hanshi Robert Scaglione. A calling that instills an indomitable spirit of endurance in each of us.

Embrace the gift.

Domo arigato gozaimasu, Hanshi,

Michael Mackay, Go-dan
Midtown Karate Dojo
Hombu of Shorin-Ryu Karate USA
Founded by Grand Master Ansei Ueshiro
Under the direction of Hanshi Robert Scaglione