The Way It Should Be

Mike started his practice at Valley Aikido in Massachusetts.  The late Paul Sylvain Sensei was his first instructor.  Paul was one of Chiba Sensei's students.  Through this connection, we got to see Chiba Sensei many times in the past.  Unfortunately, Paul died in a car accident with his daughter, Chloe, many years ago, but the personal ties had not weakened.

The year Valley Aikido moved into its current location, they held a memorial seminar in honor of Paul and Chloe.  Chiba Sensei was the guest instructor.  In addition, to giving Aikido classes, he led a Buddhist ceremony.

As we were finding ways of squeezing ourselves into the packed mat space, Sensei put on his Buddhist garb and grabbed his chanting text, getting ready for the ceremony.

With a solemn face, Sensei walked up to the mat.   Just as he was about to stride over the many slippers lining the edge of the mat, at the corner of his eyes, he spotted a pair of slippers that were dropped haphazardly by the far end.  Chiba Sensei paused and turned to look at those slippers.  After about the longest two seconds in the universe, he turned back towards shomen to stepped onto the mat.

After just one step, Sensei stopped again.  He stood there, as if he was contemplating something.  And then, he backed up to stare at those two slippers in silence.  

I was sitting near the edge of the mat and saw everything close up.  It looked as if Sensei was battling inside about what he should do with these unruly slippers that were not sitting neatly like their proper counterparts.  

After what felt like an eternity, Chiba Sensei let out a sigh, walked towards the slippers, bent over to fix them before he went to sit down in front of shomen to start the ceremony.  

I do not know whose slippers those were.  I was glad they were not mine.  I am sure the owners of the slippers, and possibly everybody else who saw what happened, learnt to never leave slippers like that ever again.  

Endo Sensei is another teacher who is very insistent on minding seemingly little things like this.  His explanation is that being inattentive to details is an indicator that you are not ready to seriously train yourself.  Reflecting on everything big and small helps making you a better person.  And only when you become a better person may you expect your Aikido to improve.

Clyde Takeguchi Sensei had known Chiba Sensei for decades.  They got along quite well.  Upon hearing the story of Chiba Sensei and the slippers, Takeguchi Sensei chuckled and said, "Yeah, I find messy slippers annoying, too.  In that situation, I probably would like to have those shoes straighten out as well.  However, I would not fix them myself.  Instead, I would ask: Whose shoes are these?  Come and fix them.  This way, not only this person, but everybody will learn not to do it again."