Greatest Strength

"Sometimes your greatest weakness can become your greatest strength."

-Anonymous

I heard this story a long time ago. I must have JUST received my Black Belt and I have been telling the story ever since.

Sometimes your greatest weakness can become your greatest strength! Once there was a young boy of the age of ten who had lost his right arm in a very bad car accident. He always wanted to do a martial art ad walked into a Judo, hesitant that he would be shunned away and told he couldn't participate due to having his disability. But the sensei said having no right arm would make no difference in his Judo training. So the ten year old's parents signed him up and he began training in Judo.

After two months, the boy was only taught one move and was told to practice it over and over and over. He asked the sensei when he could learn something new, but the sensei said "You are to keep practicing this move and get it just right before you move any further!" So the young boy accepted this answer and did so.

After a few more weeks, the sensei signed the ten year old boy up for his first tournament. The young boy was petrified because all he knew was the one Judo move! Bu the sensei seemed confident in him and the young boy went on competing. He won his first match with such ease. The young boy was shocked! And o was everybody else. How was this young boy who had only one arm, winning all these matches. Well the young boy did so well he made it all the way to the final match!

The opponent was a HUGE person, three time the boy's weight and height. The referee almost called the match, but the boy's sensei said "NO! The boy WILL fight!" The referee obliged and the boy was the finish the final match. The boy was intimidated and scared of this HUGE opponent who obviously has been doing this much longer, and he knew much more. All the boy knew was ONE move? How could he possibly win?

Well when the opponent came at him, the boy used his one move and threw the opponent out of the ring, winning the tournament! The boy was shocked! And he went home with the huge first place trophy. As we walked out with his sensei, he HAD to ask him. He just HAD to!

"Sensei, how is that I won the tournament? How could I possibly have won, only knowing one move?" The sensei considered his question for a moment and then answered. "You won for two reasons. The first reason is that you have mastered one of the most difficult techniques in all of Judo. It is very difficult to grasp and your training and practicing it over and over again has served you well."

"What was the second reason?" asked the boy. "The second reason," replied the sensei, "is that the only counter to this move is if you grab the right arm." The boy's greatest weakness had become his greatest strength!

Yours in service,

ANDREW TRENTO