The Hair Cut
The Lubbock community Center was beginning to empty as we showered and I finished quickly and waited in the lobby. The last two days had certainly been an experience. How else would you describe packing 14 people in a motor home designed for eight and then heading 600 miles across West Texas with half a ton of bricks and boards to give a series of Demonstrations? Officially, we were here to promote and unify Master Chu's remote schools, but it seemed that togetherness and cooperation were the real theme of this trip.
As I sat comfortably on a couch in the lobby, I remember seeing Master Chu coming out of the dressing room with a towel in one hand and his uniform in the other. He looked somewhat tired and distracted but I figured it was because of the tremendous amount of energy he had expended in his part of the demos. After all, jumping over four people and breaking six concrete blocks, sparring 2 people, doing several forms and numerous other board breaking feats three times today plus traveling three hundred miles could make anyone look tired. I thought no more about it.
It was about midnight when we arrived at the local Instructor's apartment where we were to spend the night. Everyone was exhausted and looked like walking zombies as we stumbled from the motor home out onto the apartment complex parking lot. Master Chu called us into a circle and said he knew it would be crowded, but we should stay together and accept the Instructor's hospitality so we would not hurt his feelings. Last night in Abilene we had trouble finding places for 14 people to lie down and there was even less room tonight, but we were all willing to try. Everyone that is, except one Dan who insisted he would go to a hotel so there would be more room for those who wanted to stay.
Once more, Master Chu repeated his instructions and requested him to accept the inconvenience and stay with the group, but the Dan insisted he would go to the hotel and take a couple of people with him so it would be less crowded. We were all beginning to get uncomfortable because he was being requested, by his Instructor, to do something specific and he was absolutely refusing. He was our junior but neither of us said anything to him thinking Master Chu could handle any discipline problem better than we. For the third time, Master Chu repeated his instructions and still the Dan insisted on departing. Master Chu just stood quietly as the Dan said his goodbyes and departed with three others who evidently decided comfort was more important than togetherness or did not understand what our Instructor was saying.
We were glad the tense situation was over and everyone started toward the apartment when Master Chu called Mr. Poole and me to return to the Motor home with him.
We stepped up in the vehicle which had been our home for the past two days and sat across from our Instructor at the tiny table near the side window. He just sat silently, looking down at the tabletop for what seemed like an eternity until finally, he raised his head, and looked right through us with dark, tired eyes. In that instant, I had the strangest sensation I've ever experienced in my whole life. It felt as if he had already spoken a thousand words when he looked at us yet, the silence was broken by only one lonely question, which hung interminably in the night air.
"How long must I cut my own hair?"
We stared blankly, confused by his question. The silence screamed at us but we could not make out what it was saying and then the screams became respectfully silent as he spoke ". . . Earlier, when we finished the demonstration and everyone went to the showers, I had to get my own towel. In Korea, someone would have been waiting with my towel and clothes. Now, a junior Dan refuses to do as I ask and my senior students stand by and do not say a word . . ."
"How long must I cut my own hair?"
There was that question again, and with it the screaming started anew, but now it was beginning to become understandable. "Why had we not taken a more active role in assistance to our Instructor?" it shouted! Why could we not see our responsibility to help him in matters that need not command his personal attention? He was always there when we needed him, where were we when he needed us? How much had we actually helped him to spread Tang Soo Do's benefits to others? What real assistance had we been to him for all he had done for us? He disappeared out the door and into the darkness as we sat in awkward silence.
Maybe somewhere in his being he already knew his death was approaching and maybe this whole trip was an attempt to bind us together to withstand his absence or maybe the years of teaching students who quit and the endless hours of sometimes seemingly thankless travel and dedication had just taken it's toll for him to choose this moment to make these remarks to us. Whatever the reason, we knew we had missed something very important that our teacher had tried to show us. For nearly ten years he had traveled hundreds of miles and conducted thousands of hours of classes. He had 16 schools and more than 600 students but not two seniors who could answer his question. How had this happened? Clearly, our responsibilities were more than we had realized. We had plenty to think about that sleepless night.
Not many months later, our Instructor was gone and we were left to ponder the question he posed that lonely night in West Texas.
The togetherness of that trip has been enjoyably replayed in our lives four times since then; once in England at the Internationals, once in Korea at the International Demonstration and twice in New Jersey at Ko Dan Ja Tests. However; I hope we do not ever cause the other part of that experience to be repeated.
The Grandmaster has said that man is at his best when helping others and if we apply that concept to our training and the relationship we share with our Instructors we may better ourselves and come to understand togetherness, brotherhood, prevention of conflict and harmony in a way that few people ever have the opportunity to experience.
No one is an island and no one can carry the future of Tang Soo Do alone, it is up to the juniors to help and protect their seniors just as it is up to the seniors to help and protect their juniors. Grandmaster has requested that we try to make the U.S. a worldwide leader in human relationships and that can only happen if everyone does their part by improving their own personal relationships.
Take care of your Instructor; don't leave them to do all the work. Dans and Red belts especially, learn all your responsibilities; ask if you are unsure. Trying and making a mistake is better than doing nothing. All students, see if there are tasks or projects you can do for them to free their valuable time. We never know how long our Instructor will be with us and it would be a shame to have wasted any of their priceless time on menial tasks. Pitch in and be the best you can be, write an article for the newsletter, take on a project for your class, attend a special event and contribute your own unique energy to it, work hard and always be loyal to your Instructor just as they are loyal to theirs'. Be a part of Tang Soo Do, be active and contribute to its growth.
We may already owe the Grandmaster and Sa Bom Nim Hwang several haircuts, but in the future, let’s not give them cause to ask . . .
"How long must I cut my own hair?"
--Phil Duncan
1992
Copyright © 2005 - 2006 U.S. Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation, Inc. More articles like this one are posted on the Federations Wiki Pages. Read them all.
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