Parable of the Sensei and the Disciple

A 10-year-old boy decides to learn judo despite the fact that he lost his left arm in a devastating car accident.

The boy begins lessons with an old Japanese judo master. It's doing well, so it can't understand why after three months of training the master is only teaching it one move.

So one day the boy asks his Sensei, "Shouldn't I learn more moves?", and his teacher replies, "That's the only move you know, but it's the only move you'll ever need to know."

Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy continues to train. A few months later, the sensei took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily wins his first two matches. The third game proved more difficult, but after a while his opponent grew impatient. The boy skillfully used his only move and won the match. Still amazed by his success, the boy is already at the finish line.

This time his opponent is bigger, stronger and more experienced. For a while the boy looks superb. Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He is about to stop the match when the sensei intervenes. "No, 'let it go on.'

Soon after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical mistake – he dropped his guard. Instantly the boy used his move to pin him down. The boy was winning the match and the tournament.

He is the champion. On the way home, the boy and the teacher go over every move in every game. The boy then gathers his courage and asks, "Sensei, how did I win the tournament in just one move?"

"You won for two reasons," replied the sensei. “First, you've almost mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. And second, the only known defense for this move is for your opponent to grab your left hand. "

The boy's greatest weakness had become his greatest strength.