This is a letter to “Those Who Were Here, Those Who Are, and Those Who Will Come After”
To my Kung Fu students—past, present, and future,
There is a strange thing that happens when you dedicate your life to something, when you give yourself completely to a path, a tradition, a craft. In Kung Fu, we often speak of movement—of fluidity, adaptability, resilience—but the great paradox is that, as a teacher, I often find myself standing still. Not stagnant, not stuck, but rooted. And as I stand, students pass through like the wind.
Some come eager, full of fire, determined that this will be their path. Some stay just long enough to take a few steps, maybe to satisfy curiosity or because they are going through a rough patch in life. And some—so very few—remain for the long road, walking with me through the seasons, through the highs and the lows, shaping and being shaped.
At first, I must admit, this felt sour. The goodbyes, the disappointments, the ones who swore, “I’ll always be here,” only to vanish like mist in the morning sun. I carried this weight, questioning if I had done enough, if I had given them what they needed, if I could have done more. I wanted to hold on, to make sure they saw what I saw, felt what I felt, grew as I knew they could. But Kung Fu, like life, does not work that way.
Time has softened this bitterness. With every passing student, with every farewell, I have learned a lesson of my own. I have come to understand that my work is not measured by who stays, but by how deeply I can impact someone, even in the shortest of moments.
Some students will stay long enough to become family. Others will only pass through, their time with me just a single thread in the fabric of their life. Both are valid. Both are part of this path. I no longer cling to the idea that longevity equals success. Instead, I trust that the lessons—the discipline, the effort, the resilience—will live on in ways I may never see.
For those of you who are still here, who continue to train, grow, and share in this journey—thank you. Your trust, your dedication, your willingness to keep walking this path alongside me means more than you know.
For those who have moved on, whether life called you elsewhere or you simply found another way—thank you. Your time with me, however brief, was meaningful. I hope that something, even just a small piece of what we shared, serves you well.
And for those who have yet to come—I will see you when I see you, wherever I see you. Whether our time together is long or short, know that the door is open, the lessons are here, and the path is always waiting.
This is the work of a Kung Fu Lifer.
With respect,
Your Sifu