Once again, my article is for the youth karate practitioners. Because I help in teaching youth classes, I frequently see students pushing to get a higher place in line. I would like to share my own experience with where one stands in line.

When I was new to karate, my father kept telling me to try to get at the end of the line. I did not understand at the time, but I lined up at the end because my father told me to. Every class, I was at the end of the line. Then one day, Sensei told me to take a higher place in line. I will never forget that day.

If you stand in a place of honor and you are told to move down, you will be ashamed If you stand in a humble place and you are told to move up, you will be honored. There is no honor in pushing your way to a higher place because you may find yourself pushing to a place you have not earned. So remember this: It is far better to take a humble position and be moved up than it is to take a place of honor and be moved down.