A New Realization

A slight tragedy happened in TaeKwonDo class this week. 

As belt testing approaches, stripe testing becomes very important.  You must have 5 stripes in order to test.
Thursday was stripe testing for forms.  Our class is a funny mixture of laid back yet strict.  Mr. T is serious, yet fun and stripe testing was both of those. 

But when testing was over I saw Mr. T swat down to talk to Josh.  And while every other kid was visiting with each other, doing their own thing and oblivious to what was going on there, every one of my kids was paying full attention to Mr. T and Josh.  It didn't take long to figure out what was being said.  My kids' desperate glances over to me, Josh's head in his hands, the arms around him, and the sad faces gave it away. 

He didn't get his stripe. 

In the car on the way home, my kids were talking about how unfair they felt it was.  How Josh's form was good and how stripes were issued to those less athletically inclined.  It didn't make sense to any of them and they all felt the injustice.  I learned later that 2 of my kids declined their own stripes so Josh would not have to line up alone since they line up by rank. 

Days have passed since then and I'm still thinking about it.  But the thing that sticks out the most is the love that my kids poured out on their brother.....including Efum who heard about it later but is very familiar with Josh's form.   It was as serious to each of them as if it were themselves who did not get the stripe.  And while I'm sure Josh will not see the good of this for a long time, my momma heart rejoices at this opportunity of failure where his whole family rallied around him to love on him.  It's such a tiny insignificant thing, but someday when he faces a real loss or failure I hope he remembers what a support he has in all of us.

Belt testing is still a couple weeks away and he will have another chance to earn his stripe.  I can almost hear the the cheering of 9 loving siblings.