"People will forget what you did. People will forget what you said. But they'll never forget how you made them feel."
You never know who's listening to your words, or watching your actions, or when the impact of what you've done will come back to you. A while back I posted a article on my blog (http://jasongould.blogspot.com/) titled "The Price of a Beer in Boston." It was about a killing that took place in a bar over a spilled beer. Well, as fate would have it, people actually READ these blogs... This week I got a comment posted on my blog from the SISTER of the victim.
I just happened to be searching through the web and came across your blog on my brothers' murder. I think that is is a great that you are teaching your students how to defend themselves against a knife. I wish that my brother had the knowledge walking in to the six house bar the night he got stabbed eight times by Bernard Piscopo. Adam was one of ten children, he has lil brothers and sisters that find it hard to sleep at night knowing that their brothers murderer is out and about..knowing that he could stike again. Adam, 26 of Revere was the type of kid who was outgoing and courageous. He was the type that would never back down from a fight! I always told him "one day you will meet your match" do I regret that YES! I regret that cause he is gone...did he meet his match? NO! He met someone who knew nothing about self defense and who's pride was easily hurt. MY brother met metal. Fighting cause you enjoy the sport is great! Fighting cause you don't like someone is not worth it. It is not worth your life and you never know whether or not you are going to meet someone who had other plans for the night. I hope that justice will be served and my brothers murderer will be behind metal bars for the rest of his life. I wish you and your students the best and just wanted to say thank you!
Sincerely
Jenelle Rich
Revere, MA
Wow.
And here's another: Last week, I received another comment, on another of my blog posts, titled, "What the World Needs Now," which was about the Virginia Tech shootings:
Good on you Sensei and good on you jen,I have a mental illness, and understand all too well the barriers and stigma people face, Some are not strong enough to realise that the illness is only a part of them and need not consume all of who they are.So often we put people in a box and leave them to fend for themselves particularly in the case of mental illness.There needs to be more talk about this subject worldwide and slowly people will begin to see the person and not the illness.
I have found Karate a tremendous tool for me in coping with my illness,when i am training I am me and no one worries about who i am where i come from or that I have an illness.Learning Kata, forms and Kumite give me great focus and I have improved enormously under the guidance of my Senseis and my fellow karateka.Please keep talking to each other, encouraging eachother, for it is together that we can break down stigma.
Signed Mad and proud of it!!
You never know who's listening to your words, or watching your actions. I'm so very blessed and grateful to be able to do what I do...
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