The Karate Institute of America is deeply saddened to share the news that Grandpa Shamassian, Hannah’s paternal grandfather, has passed on.

Our entire KIA family sends its deepest and most heartfelt condolences to all of the Shamassian family, especially Grandma Shamassian and the loss of her cherished husband.

Grandpa Shamassian, pictured in the wheel chair at Hannah’s Purple Belt test in July of 2016, was a loving, kind, gentle, intelligent, supportive, impressive human being—first class all the way.

Clark “Flash” Hyman, the sixteenth Black Belt of the Karate Institute of America, along with his over-55 tennis buddies, won the USTA National Championship in Arizona a couple weeks ago. So … Congratulations to you, Flash, and your team! National championships are hard to come by. Way to go!

In the group photo below, Clark is in the front row, third from the left, aqua tee shirt.

The Orange County team representing Southern California defeated a team from Fairfax, VA, 3-0 in the championship match on Sunday, October 30. Earlier in the day, the Orange County team defeated the team from Beverly, MA, 2-1, in the semifinals. They advanced this far by going undefeated, winning their round-robin flight contested Oct. 28-29.

From The Black Belt Book of Life: Secrets of a Martial Arts Master.

Life is a test from birth to death; an endless struggle to maintain one’s balance, poise and grace while striving to achieve one’s personal goals. If we’re to conquer the challenges of life, we must be strong … for the long haul, not just for the passing moment or the fleeting glimpses of capricious fortune.

Strength is a virtue. Talent is a gift. One can have talent but fail to achieve great things because of a lack of strength. One can have mediocre talent but achieve wondrous things through the strength of will.

In the Kiado-Ryu system, rank doesn’t make the man or woman, the man or woman make the rank.

Who we are is not a matter of what we wear around our waist but what we stand for.

For example, being a so-called “Black Belt” means nothing unless the individual who wears such a rank exudes those noble virtues associated with it, including but not limited to, self-control, discipline, courage, strength, commitment, humility, kindness, grace, patience, determination, dedication, persistence, respect and honor—a virtue seemingly unknown and forgotten in today’s society.

Like everyone else, times change, and kids, well, they do grow up and have their own families and lives. Such are the circles and cycles of life.

For those of you who remember my girls—Christa and Chandra—when they were young and hanging out at the studio, here they are, all grown up with their own beautiful families.

On the bottom row (right) is Christa with her husband, Mike, just behind her. Paige, their older daughter, is sitting on the left and her younger sister, Emery, is next to Christa.

Freedom is a great privilege. It is not a right, and it is neither free nor guaranteed. Furthermore, freedom can be lost if a person or a people become lazy, negligent, careless, cowardly, apathetic, entitled.

Following are a few poignant quotations from great men who understood the true price of freedom. These quotes are worth pondering and absorbing into the DNA of every man, woman and child who seek to be truly free. Notice the common threads woven through each of them.