I wrote my exam and came back, but had other classes to attend. Still, the DFEND sessions must go on, irrespective of my presence. As much as I love attending the sessions and practicing with the girls, right now my studies take precedence over my passion.
I was told that today’s session was even better than yesterday, with the number of girls increasing to 220. Usually, I only attend other classes when they’re engaging and offer something new to learn – so that must have been the case with the way my team executed yesterday’s training. I couldn’t be prouder of them.
For the longest time, I believed that DFEND could only move forward if I was personally present at every session. But today showed me something beautiful, my team is not only capable, they are confident and independent because of the training and preparation we’ve done together. Their passion and commitment reassure me that DFEND can grow beyond me, reaching multiple schools and impacting thousands of girls, with or without me in the room.
There was also a heartfelt discussion during the session about how strength is not just physical, but also mental – about knowing when to walk away, when to stand firm, and when to fight back if needed.
My trainers also told me that the girls opened up, shared their thoughts, and they could see them connecting self-defense not just to the body, but also to the mind and spirit.