I remember about a year ago a blue belt student being very annoyed about having to work with a young yellow belt girl.
I told him that I understood how he felt, “Yes, I know… Sometimes the black belts also come to me and complain that they have to do skills with you because you are just a blue belt.”
He looked shocked, “Really?”
I replied, “No of course not; that would never even cross a black belt’s mind”
He was speechless; it wasn’t the response he was expecting.
After that conversation he seemed to treat the lower belts a little kinder. Lately I have noticed him helping others without even being asked.
I suspect he has realised that not only must we give back, but also that learning and practice can come in many forms.
Helping lower belts.