Happy Mother's Day

As a child, Huo Yuanjia was too proud to accept the idea that opposing clans have a better Wushu – or martial arts --- training than his clan. “I will show the other clans that their wushu is not as good as ours” Huo told his mother one day. He was so confident in his abilities that in his heart, he knew other fighting styles were no match to his family’s Wushu.

“My son, wushu is not just about winning” His mother told him. “The most important part is self-restraint and having discipline. Whatever happens, never forget to be the kind of person that you are. Wushu is to help you be strong so you can help others. The way to have a good relationship with all people is to understand that, and to give kindness to others and treat all with respect and honor. People fearing you and giving honor are not the same thing."

Huo’s pride and fearlessness soon blossomed and he became the greatest fighter in the land. No one could defeat him. His pride, however, got him in situations that were dishonorable and soon he was just fighting for the sake of fighting. Then one day, he picked a fight with a great master which lead to the master’s death. The master’s family retaliated and Huo would lose all that was dear to him.

In his grief, Huo found solace in his mother’s words.
As the western civilization began to influence the east, Huo fought with a higher purpose. His humbleness and strong spirit helped to greatly enhance the self-confidence and self-esteem of the Chinese people.

What an honor it is to remember our mother’s words of wisdom, to never forget their nurturing strengths as they help us realize our awareness of the world around us. It’s never without fail that they are with us every step of the way as we make our walks of life, each stroll we take becoming the adventure and discovery that forms our inner self. Despite all that we go through in life, Mom will always be that quiet and strong spirit that keeps us walking the right path.

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom.