Greetings!   

 

I'm writing to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a safe and happy holiday break.

2011 has been an amazing year.  Globally so much has happened with political regimes and dictatorships that have survived for decades collapsing overnight, just as some of the worlds great economies fallen into financial ruin and despair.

At home in Australia, though, we sure are the lucky country.  Whilst I am sure you would agree with me that all of our political leaders have less than perfect score cards at the moment based on their performance through 2011, we can say that we have a lot to look forward to in 2012.

Rather than looking globally, or even across the country, what matters, though, is the relationships we foster with those close to us along the way and of course others we associate with in our daily lives.  The way we nurture these relationships for others, ourselves and our family, and how we can do everything in our power to give ourselves, and our family, the best possible chance to live a happy and healthy life.

I see you are doing just that by participating in a great Martial Arts academy like Factor10.  Training in the Martial Arts really adds to your health and happiness.  I guess sometimes it may not seem that there's a lot of happiness in a really hard training session, or in having to get yourself off to training when you're at the end of the day and feeling really tired, but you and I both know that what you are doing is great for health and fitness.  

For parents wondering if the daily hustle and bustle is really worth it, well I can assure you it is.  The times you are showing such amazing discipline as a parent when it is easier to stay at home when the children are tired and irritated from their frustrating day and want to just play in the back yard or on the computer with their friends.  These are the critical times when you are shaping your child's future, supporting them to value discipline, routine, hard work and a sense of success and achievement that can only lead to excellence.

Parents I congratulate you for investing in your child's future.  Having your child train in Martial Arts is a  special experience, a gift that your child will benefit from for the rest of their lives.

If you can maintain this ongoing investment to black belt and beyond, and set them up in a great position for life long health and happiness, I believe you will be leaving no stone unturned in ensuring you have done everything you can in providing a healthful and happy future.  The Martial Arts training you are providing for your child is a life long investment, that can serve only to help their future relationships, health and happiness.

So I truly congratulate and thank you for choosing to be part of the Factor10 Martial Arts family.  I trust you'll have a great Christmas break and attack the new year with a sense of purpose, success, and a desire to make 2012 a great year.

Take care and best wishes to you, your close and extended family.


Master Damien O'Flaherty