Thank you Mr. Jaroka

When I was a little guy in Cub Scouts my leaders name was Fred Jaroka, that was many years ago........ So, 45 years later,....... At Saturdays open training a young student asked me to observe his stick form, at first I was taken aback because his voice was so was so quiet I has to re-ask what he said, as I was unsure of what he wanted. There's a fault(?) within me where I'm always way off when I guess the Kung_fu kids ages; so I always have to take a second and ask. The reason is the kids I have met have always carried themselves at a maturity/confidence level far beyond their actual age (it seems to me anyway), his reply "I'm seven", yikes!!! Here I've been so focused on relearning and what is happening with my training that I sometimes forget what and who is around me. This young man took "me" out of the "it's all about me now" state I was in and I had to bring myself to share as much as I knew about the stick form, but having to explain it at a level of understanding where such a young man could comprehend what I was trying to say. For me the look of absolute trust in this young man rattled me to where I had to put myself in his shoes at being 7 years old. I thought of being back in the second grade and what my mindset was at the time and how the grown ups/teachers/coaches/Cub-scout leaders of that time for me patiently carried themselves in a manner that inspired me to do better and start to believe in myself. The term "Praise, correct, praise" had such a powerful feeling at that moment. We went through the form several times, I stepped back for a few minutes as the mind can only absorb so much teaching and let him practice on his own, or should I say I had to take a few minutes to compose myself as I feel so clumsy around the little ones. We ran through the form a few more times and it was time to let him practice some more on his own, then it was time for him to go, but before he left he thanked me for the help. Saying "you're welcome" wasn't the end, I also thanked him and tried to explain at a seven year old level of understanding that he helped me also, as it was a learning experience for me too. One of the things that comes to mind over that experience for me; I never would have asked anyone for anything at that age and that's one of my character defects that plagues me today, so young man, once again, thank you for the growth experience. As for Fred Jaroka, he has long since passed on, but I get it, I get it why you were there at all those Monday night Cub Scout meetings many years ago, for fun and for free, you were there for a bunch of us kids and I get it. I finished off Saturday sitting in a Corvette at the auto show, I looked at the price tag of the model I wanted and envisioned myself cutting the cheque and driving down a road somewhere this summer, a nice thought, but it still didn't feel as good as bumping down the road in my little red Volkswagen after Saturday's class. Do the gifts here ever stop coming?