Dear Grand Master Chang,

I hope you and your family are well and that things are good.

I hope also training is good too.

Thank you so much for your phone calls, I cannot begin to explain how grateful I am that you give me so much support, your years of experience on the matt, and wisdom from living your life as a Hapkido man, is such a special gift to receive in any form.  I carefully listen and contemplate all your teachings always, and I never forget.  I will not change or defer from the true path that lays before me.  I will not waste the precious gift you so freely give me.

My students and I have good harmony together, and while training they focus with a clear minds to develop harmony and feeling in there techniques and with each other, mind and body together.

My students follow me not because they are seeking flashy moves or techniques, they follow me because of  my devotion to the true way.  They see my attitude towards my Master, my love for Hapkido, and my clear and focussed mind walking a true path, never wavering or getting side tracked, never changing.  I truly see the reasons why we do things the way we do, many times I have seen the results from walking this path. As you said to me last time we were together if you walk this path the students will follow, and they have. Not just any students, like minded students, students who  in turn are choosing to live their lives as Hapkido people and walk the true way.  It is truly joyous  to behold the difference our path can make to the lives of others.

When I am with you , I don’t take anything for granted. I watch your techniques, I watch how you  take class and relate to your students.  I listen to all your lessons both on the matt and off. I watch and listen to every single thing you do and say.  Sometimes I don’t necessary understand immediately, those things I contemplate later.  But if I don’t change from my path, all things reveal themselves in time. All Things.  In this way I try to make the most of my time with you, I try and make every day as full as ten days, after all I have flown fourteen thousand kilometres to be with you, why would I not do this.  I understand that the true strength of hapkido comes from a solid foundation, working to build a supple body with good core strength, and a clear and focussed mind with a strong base curriculum with good application techniques.  Training the same over and over again and using the techniques under pressure helps my students react without hesitation and correctly according to the attack that has been given.  From following the path you laid before me and walking it with my students I have seen the results many times over and so have they.

It has truly changed all our lives in a very positive way,  this true way we walk , is peaceful, no lies , just peace, I feel like my soul is unburdened, as light as a feather. 

So when you say to me you would like for my school to grow up, I understand, and it is thanks to you.  We are building a Hapkido family, with the tools you have given us.  As you told me this way would attract good people, and it does.  Every thing you said has come true in time, everything.

I read all the lessons you emailed me, I share them with my students before blackbelt, to help them see our path ahead.  I remember the techniques you taught me at the downtown dojo in 2001 with Lee Jeong Seo.

I remember all the application techniques we practiced in 2009, with Tim , Leigh ,Charles, Carl, John and Sonny, I remember all of it.

I remember all the base and application technique you gave us in 2013 during my last visit.

All the teachings through all the years I remember and practice all of it, and also the application Lee Jeong Seo taught , as he was your student also, it isn’t hard to see you in everything he taught.  We just keep every thing the same and never change, when we are together again, then we will learn more and more, but until then  we keep training the same always.

To me it is not just the Hapkido techniques that draws me to you, but rather the many many years of a person how has lived his life as a Hapkido man and through the decades has cultivated great wisdom from this unique journey.  You make me want to be the best human being I can be,  I do not want for anything, anything at all.  All I wish is to remain as the moon in the light of the sun.

It is an extraordinary gift you have so freely given, I will not keep it for myself, I will share it with my Hapkido family.

Thank you so much.

 

Also our last phone call the line was really crackly and hard to hear, but the one before was good...

 

Until next we make contact, take care.