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Published January 1996 Taekwondo Reporter They say that it’s easy to write, all you have to do is open a vein. A book came in the mail a couple of weeks ago from Matt Pasquinilli, a taekwondo instructor at the Oriental Martial Arts College in Columbus, Ohio – a book written by a man with whom he used to train. It was set aside, added to a stack of books for which I needed to find time. The other day, though, I picked it up and began to read – then continued to read into the night. It was not an easy book to read: not because it’s not well written, but because it is well written. The author’s poetic style and comfortable syntax make it too easy to experience what he felt. The name of the book is Keeper of the Night, written by Lee Modjeska, Emeritus Professor of Law at Ohio State University and black belt taekwondo student. In 1987 Mr. Modjeska was diagnosed with bilateral, pulmonary metastases – terminal cancer. Two years later he earned his first dan black belt from Grandmaster Joon Pyo Choi then, after two more years, his second dan. The book is about his journey through life, specifically that portion of it that began with the realization of his mortality. That death is inevitable is one of the most basic facts of human life. It’s something that we all know. It’s not, however, something that we accept. Somewhere down the road we must all face our own transience but, as Mr. Modjeska expressed it, “until we see the ‘pale rider’ approach, it’s not something with which we are overly concerned.” When your own demise has been presented to you, the continuation of life is made more difficult. Keeper of the Night vividly portrays how this man endured the cancer that threatened him. It also displays the many wondrous things and simple pleasures that make life worth living. Lee Modjeska had a loving wife and family, and many close, long-time friends who helped him cope with his situation. He also found love, support and inspiration from his new taekwondo family and his teacher, Grandmaster Choi. Talk to those people today, though, and they’ll tell you that Lee was the one who provided inspiration. Taekwondo, his new found lifestyle, not only helped him physically, under the guidance of Master Choi, he found its philosophy of learning, application, and determination to be life confirming – It helped to keep him going. As Master Choi told him, “It doesn’t matter how long, what matters is that you continue to improve your mind and your body until the moment you die. What choice do you have?” The battle ended for Lee Modjeska on December 31, 1995. This weekend, Master Choi and black belts from the Oriental Martial Arts College will attend the memorial service, at which they’ll present Mr. Modjeska, now Master Modjeska, with an honorary sixth dan, because of the mastery of life that he acquired. Whether involvement with taekwondo prolonged his life is hard to say, but it certainly improved the quality of the life that he had left to live. His book is worth reading, and would be especially rewarding to anyone who teaches martial arts. Everyone wants to be remembered, to leave behind some memorial to their existence. For writers and artists, or anyone who creates something that endures, this is easier. For others, the memory will at least be with friends and family, for our spirit lives on in those whom we touch. Copyright © January 1996 Michael D. Kerrigan |
