The photo above was taken the day I was discharged from the hospital after open-heart surgery, also known as a quadruple bypass.

It has now been four weeks since that day. The first four days in the hospital were challenging, and I was grateful to go home on day four.

My recovery has given me time to reflect and gain an even deeper appreciation for how much One Martial Arts and the extended family we’ve grown over the past 26 years truly mean to me.

Whenever I come into the schools, I feel like a baseball player who has rounded third base and safely slid into home plate. I always feel a sense of peace and belonging among the families at One. It is, in some small way, a safe place from the noise and pressures of the outside world.

I am greeted with smiles and hellos from our students. When I instruct your children and look into their eyes, there are no politics, war, or fear. They are present, living in the moment. They teach me that now is all that really matters. The kids remind me that I was a child and that I should never forget that.

From our parents, I find solace in believing that together we can. Through every celebration and challenge of their child’s development, we find strength in each other. On many occasions, we have shared tears of joy as only we can.

Two weeks into my recovery, I came into the end of black belt testing at our Millbrae location. This is a very special moment and milestone for our families, and I wanted to share in it.

I was able to offer a few words of congratulations to our testers, but mostly I sat quietly and took it all in. As each parent awarded their child their black belt, they stood with pride and shared heartfelt words.

As each family took their turn, I realized their devotion and confidence in our mission to help them live their best lives. For the Yasuda family, Dad had earned his black belt with us, his two sons had as well, and today it was his daughter’s turn.

After the belts were awarded, Sifu TJ dela Cruz acknowledged just how special it was for this group to earn the rank of black belt. Most of them began their martial arts journey at the start of the pandemic. That meant learning through Zoom, which was a first for all of us. Next, we moved to parking lots, basketball courts, and farmers’ markets for outdoor classes. Then we returned to the schools, wearing masks and training in limited-class sizes. Their journey was anything but easy, and the black belts they wear today represent their dedication and refusal to give up.

As I listened, I was reminded of the impact of what we had gone through as a community. I mean, it is hard enough to earn a black belt by most standards, let alone under such extreme circumstances. Their relentless determination and commitment exemplified the culture of One Martial Arts.

The past six years that everyone present had endured are a testament. The adversity we experienced together defines family: an unconditional love and force that could not be deterred, even by a pandemic.

A mom came up to me and shared that her eldest daughter had gone through what I was going through at the time. I was deeply moved and immediately felt a connection and sense of understanding. She thanked me for training her younger daughter, who would come home after every class with a story about how hard I had pushed her. I trained her the same way I trained my own daughter on her path to a black belt. When I went up to congratulate this amazing young lady, I looked her in the eyes and had no words. I started to tear up, and she did too. Then we awkwardly began laughing and crying at the same time. I have been blessed with many moments like this at One Martial Arts. They remind me that what we have built together is about so much more than martial arts, and I will always be grateful for that.

I humbly believe this is why parents trust us to support their child’s personal development and growth. They know that my team and I will treat them like our own children. We will be the village and extended family needed to help them discover their unlimited potential. One Martial Arts is more than a family business; we are a family for the communities that we serve.

I will be back with you soon enough. There is nothing I aspire to more than to be with our students and families. Serving you is one of my greatest purposes. It makes me smile like a child going to Disneyland for the first time.

Sifu TJ dela Cruz offered a personal observation that I would like to share with you. He said that before I decided to have surgery, he would often hear me say, “I have more years behind me than I do in front of me.” Then he said encouragingly, “But now, sir, you talk more about the good days ahead.” I have to agree with him with all of my heart. The best is yet to come.