Way of the Warrior

Older Son took a test for his next belt color in Ninjitsu yesterday, so I hauled Demon Baby with me, and we went to watch the test. And the end of the exam, he got his new belt, and a patch for his uniform. The patch says, in Japanese, "The Way of the Warrior," and over Christmas break, I will sew it on his uniform over his heart.

As a Buddhist, I get that most martial arts is about avoiding conflict. Having the inner confidence so that you do not need to fight. When my son decided to take Ninjitsu, I was very pleased, and after seeing his test, I am even more so. There's a quiet strength to the Way of the Warrior.

Which brings me to writing. No, I can't take a samurai sword and slice this manuscript into submission. But there's a quiet forging ahead in the work I do. A quiet strength. So I wondered what the Way of the Writer Warrior would look like.

I've decided it's about rising before dawn to hit the keyboard. About going within to search for inspiration. About perseverence even when writing seems hard. About modesty and humility in the face of other talented writers--never, ever looking down at a white belt, honoring the black belts among us, the Sensais. It's about training for years and years before even thinking you can wear a black belt. Being humble. Having a strong spirit.

I don't know what I would put on a patch on my heart. But it's enough to know that it's a path and a journey.

What would you say is the Way of the Writing Warrior?