June 12, 2009
A Million Ways Adaptive Martial Arts teaches ATA Songahm Taekwondo. In the Songahm system to achieve a black belt each student performs a form called Choong Jung 2. This form’s meaning is “Everything turns out perfect and beautiful”. For me as a father of Second Degree Black Belt Aspergers son, this form’s meaning is especially poignant. Who would have thought that over the fourteen years of my son’s life that everything would eve ntually turn out perfect and beautiful? How I remember the total meltdowns in Malls; being asked to leave Starbucks for being so disruptive and having to leave movies and musicals because the noise and lights were too much! How I would like to forget the Sunday nights before Monday school when th e mental anguish of facing bullies the next day caused stomach aches and sleepless nights, being so unfit and unhealthy and hopeless, when “staying on task” and filling out “reminder binders” were mere ideals.
Now thanks in part to his Mother Sue, his therapist Dr. Morrow, Ms Morrison and ATA Songahm Taekwondo my son recently graduated from Junior High and looks forward to High School. His fitness level and confidence have improved. I now look forward with hope to his future. To me he has turned out perfect and beautiful. There is hope. Now we just have to work on the usual teenager issues!