A Heart of Service
Katherine Macey has been at the dojo nearly since we opened, and has been keeping us running smoothly for over 12 years. Right from the beginning she has had an incredibly supportive and open heart. When I asked her if she would like to work at the dojo she thought about it for a day, then came back and said she would love the opportunity to be in service. She poured herself into everything she did. Katherine’s role kept her off the mats more than any of us liked, yet she supported each of us in a way that was bigger than anything she could have done as just a senior student, or even as a teacher. One student told me that when she came in for her first Kung Fu class, Katherine looked right into her soul and said, “I can tell you’ll be with us for a long time.” Katherine has this amazing way of setting aside her ego and just fully being there with someone. Even if you haven’t had the chance to really connect with her, you’re getting some of it vicariously through the rest of us. The dojo will forever be a better place, and we are all changed for the best having spent this time with her.
Katherine is still going to be doing some work for the dojo, and we will see her on zoom for class. This isn’t really goodbye, but rather a shift in our geographical relationship. That said, we’ll all miss seeing her in person, and look forward to seeing her again on the mats when she makes it back stateside.
The Practice of Goodbye
Now I want to talk about saying goodbye to students in general. Though I practice non-attachment, it’s difficult to see students go. I often have to remind myself what Sifu Brown likes to say: some of our greatest successes are no longer at the dojo.
We have been lucky to practice with many incredible people who have moved on for one reason or another. Some have moved to different continents. Some have moved to the valley. Some have had kids, changed careers or for any number of reasons have had their schedules completely blown up. Some have felt like they’ve gotten all they can get from the dojo and have moved on to other activities. Some, I presume, have even died.
We’ll do our best to support you in staying as long as you can to get the most out of practice. My hope and belief is that whether you are here with us for one class, a year, a decade or the rest of your life, you’ve been touched. Martial Arts is a profound practice that challenges us and transforms us. As long as you take that with you wherever you go and whatever you do, you are helping to spread the dream of Martial Arts and the dojo.
The Currents That Carry Us
At Katherine’s goodbye potluck on Saturday we had a great turnout with many current students, as well as some visitors from the past. Vanessa and Kenny, two old staff members, as well as Sifu John Allen drove several hours to be with us. Others sent their well-wishes. When I was packing up I saw another old student walking his dog. We talked briefly about life and I invited him back to class like I usually do. I told him I get it, that life happens and moves us all around like currents on the ocean. Sometimes we are in the same current being pulled in the same direction, while other times we are pushed apart. We are all together in that ocean, and that’s enough. Sometimes we’ll be pushed back together (or swim against the current to make it back). I told him that I’ll be here 30 years from now, so whenever he can come to class he should always feel welcome.
Until We Meet Again
Katherine blessed or cursed me with a much longer lifespan. On Saturday she was saying how long I’d have left to practice and said 57…thousand years. We laughed, and I thought that might be longer than necessary. If I have to make it that long to see you all again, even in another life, I guess it’ll be worth it. And for those of you that will someday leave and I never get to see again, know that we are all still with you, and you are still with us.
