How the Simple Discipline of Karate Saved My Life
The importance of doing things that test you.
My school years were so miserable they pushed me to the brink. Some of the worst abuse came during PE (physical education) lessons. The changing rooms turned into a torture chamber. I had to stay on the side nearest the door for a quick getaway if the beatings got too bad. No salvation was waiting for me— none of the teachers cared.
Using the showers would have been reckless, but nowhere was safe. Despite my intimate knowledge of where to change, I was still assaulted regularly.
I remember being attacked after a tennis lesson. While one guy held me, the other beat my forearms with the metal edge of a racket. Each blow felt like my arm was on fire, and I yelped in pain. I was too scared to fight back, yet I didn’t want to scream too loud because that would have reduced my social standing even further.
The pain in my arm would ease in a few days. The mental effects would last a lifetime. Every time that racket hit the bone of my arm, my self-belief was crushed that bit further. My abuser was stripping me of my worth and emasculating me in front of everyone.
I’ve never felt so worthless.
