“Non nobis solum nati sumus. (We are not born for ourselves alone.)”
― Marcus
Tullius Cicero, On Duties
Our culture seems to
relentlessly promote the notion that “taking care of number one” should be our
only goal. Everything from our politics to our economy seems to point to a
certain self-interest, which, if properly examined and understood, is really
the opposite of what we mean when we talk about Black Belt excellence.
Throughout history, there
have been countless examples of teachers and prophets who taught us that,
instead of being selfish, we should
strive to be selfless. In the Bible,
Jesus constantly taught his disciples to look after “the least of these, my
brothers and sisters.” In more modern times, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave
his time, his passion, and ultimately his life to help ensure the equal
treatment of African American people under the law. And, today, we see
thousands of men and women who put on a uniform every day and fight for our
country, patrol our streets, and respond to emergencies of all kinds.
Without the selfless acts of
selfless people, our world would be quite a different place, don’t you think? And,
although it might seem out of reach to be a modern example of selflessness,
it’s really not as difficult as it might seem. We don’t need to be a prophet or
a civil rights leader, a soldier or a firefighter to be selfless. We can
practice in little ways, every day, and make our world a better place as a
result of the effort.
To really show your
selflessness, try going out of your way to help someone. When it snows this
winter, shovel your neighbor’s walk without being asked (or paid!) to do so.
Smile and say hello to the next person you see. Or maybe you can help a friend
with a subject in school with which they are having trouble. Maybe a friend of
yours is going down a path that doesn’t lead to a good place—you could
introduce her to the Martial Arts and all the values and benefits that come
with it.
Simply put, selflessness
means to be un-selfish. If you do things for other people, and have their best
interest in mind, you are being un-selfish. As a Martial Artist, and especially
if you are a Black Belt Champion, you have a lot of power and positive
influence that can be used for good. Simple acts of kindness like holding open
a door and using manners are great and expected from a Martial Artist.
American writer and
philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson said “What you do speaks so loudly that I
cannot hear what you say.” Emerson made it clear that it’s not what you say,
but what you do that is important. Try to DO something positive for others and
you will feel like a Black Belt Champion!
