IKS Thoughts: Jeff Therrien

Editor's Note: Prior to the 30th anniversary celebration that we had, I asked people to submit to me their thoughts about the school to share with the headmasters. I have gathered these essays and will be adding them to this blog as "IKS Thoughts" over the next several months. Today's submission was made by IKS parent and Enshudo shihan Jeff Therrien.

On a mild spring night, I sat in the chairs in the basement of Our Lady of Mercy church in Merrimack to observe the children’s Kenpo class. I was there at the invitation of a friend whose son was a young black belt. My son was terribly shy, hesitant, with no self confidence and I was looking for an activity for him that would help him come out of his shell. At the end of the class, Sensei Pete opened the floor for questions. A tiny child asked a question that was obvious even to me, someone who knew nothing about the martial arts. Peter answered that question as if it were the most important topic in the world, taking two steps back as he did so, encompassing the entire class with his answer. I decided Independent Karate was the right school at that moment.

So, I enrolled my son in the class, and his first night was a disaster. He changed his mind about wanting to do it, and cried and hid behind my leg. A young black belt named Adam Burpee got on his knees to talk with Jacob, and invited him out on the floor, with me tagging along for support, to at least give it a try. Adam’s kindness and patience became a pivotal moment in Jake’s life.

I personally came to the school by way of my 40^th birthday, when I received a cane as an “over the hill” gift. The same person who had invited me to the Kenpo class told me O’Sensei could teach me to use it as a weapon. I found this intriguing and tried an En Shu Do class. I was immediately hooked, not as much by the prospect of learning a self defense, but more by the fun everyone was having doing it.

The years have passed, with the increase in knowledge that time spent studying will bring. My life hasn’t turned out the way I thought it would, but through it all, the Independent Karate School has been an anchor when things are not going too well. The friends I have made are never judgmental, only supportive. It has become a place of refuge for me, a few hours a week where I am focused, finding an inner peace that eludes me the rest of the time.

Jacob is now a young man getting ready to attend college. As I watch him teach, behind his good humor, I see the quiet confidence and patience I had observed in Adam so many years ago and I can’t help but feel it has come full circle.

What does the Independent Karate School mean to me? Something that is only trivialized by words, made stronger by the purpose of the school. As the school celebrates its’ 30^th year, I can honor it only by struggling to achieve the same purpose in my daily life, to always be honest, humble, and to do the right thing while helping others to do the same.

Thank you for all you have done.

Jeff Therrien