Taekwondo in the Morning

When we get to the ATA studio on Saturday morning for Taekwondo photos, we see that a photographer has set up in a corner and there's a sign-up sheet. Jo puts Vivian's name for the first available slot. We have 45 minutes to kill. Vivian's bad ass instructor asks if she wants to spar. Flashback: Vivian has done taekwondo one hour a week for two and half years. She loves it. But flowers bloom from her finger tips when she gets into a fighting stance or punches a board (the only thing she has ever punched). My darling daughter isn't aggressive or militant and I love that. But you can't advance in the martial arts for ever by practicing stances. At some point you have to stand there and slug it out. She has resisted doing that. But a couple of weeks ago she had shown some curiosity to spar.

Back to the present. So, mostly to pass the time till the photographer is ready, we buy her protective gear and we and she learn how to put it all on. A sparing partner is found. He was a young lad about Vivian's age who was already all dressed up. They face off, bow and start. No instructions.

Ten seconds later the boy doubles over and grabs his privates and all sparing is suspended while the instructor explains to Vivian that she can't hit below the belt. Slightly peeved, she agrees and they get back to it.

That's when Vivian starts kicking the crap out of the boy. He isn't getting hurt because her kicks are gentle and she's wearing puffy foot covers and he's got some sort of body armor on. But he never gets a chance to get to Vivian because Vivian lands kick after kick after kick relentlessly. 

When they are done she is flushed and happy and can't wait to spar on Monday with her classmates at her regular Taekwondo class. The end of the innocence. She's tasted the proverbial blood and there is no stuffing this genie back.