I have been lucky enough to learn from masters. My masters learned from masters. Lineage is important. Lineage is how we create a culture. If you value your place in the chain of mankind (and you should) then you need to heed the teachings of the ones who came before. It's interesting now that we live in this modern age. We no longer need to remember everything. It's apparent when you talk to people over 50. They remember everything! Talk to someone under 35, and it's revealing. We have almost infinite databases that we can harness from a pocket size phone. What good is it to remember when the moon landing happened? Do we really need to remember when the wall came down? We don't have a need to memorize anymore. We don't really need to remember the specifics. We can look it up in an instant. It's important though that we understand the big ideas, themes, and how it all functions. The bigger question is how do we synthesize information? What do we do with the information we have? Will any of us compete in Jiu-Jitsu? Maybe only a few of us will. Will any of us ever have to use Jiu-Jitsu in a life or death circumstance? I should hope not. Will any of us teach Jiu-Jitsu? Yes, I hope all of you who study it share with people less knowledgeable. Roberto Maia taught a seminar at North Shore Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Danny and Angela Morera hosted it, and it was fantastic. Danny learned a lot from his Professor. It wasn't just how to implement technique. Danny wouldn't have a school had he not learned from Roberto Maia. I would not be at his school, and I would have missed out on an amazing family. I wouldn't have had the opportunity to learn more, pass this knowledge on, and contribute to this chain of mankind. We would like to think we are separate from the world. We are individual. We are in our own realms, and in control of our own future. In fact, we share the future with each other. We are part of this thing called existence, and it's bigger than any one of us. We had a belt promotion ceremony as part of the seminar. It was a great symbolic endeavor. We were proud of our new blue, purple, brown, black belt, and striped black belts. Belts aren't about who can beat up whom. It is about honoring their place in the chain of knowledge. They have dedicated themselves to learning this ancient art. They have punished their bodies and minds, and have earned a wealth of knowledge. Now, it's their time to pass it forward. We're here to help the greater cause. We're here to be the best people we can be. It is almost a certainty we will fall short. To err is human. Knowledge goes a long way to combat the human flaws. Jiu-Jitsu is about inner knowledge. It is about how we apply that inner knowledge for good. It isn't just about memorizing techniques. Mitsuyo Maeda taught Carlos Gracie senior, who taught his son Carlinhos, who passed it to Roberto Maia who passed it to Danny Morera who then passed it to us! How unbelievable is that? Look at this beautiful chain of mankind. Sometimes, we get stuck on the small things. We ruminate on the mechanical aspects of a triangle choke. We investigate the workings of spider guard. We tend to forget the bigger thing. Often the deeper meaning is lost to us, but it doesn't mean that is doesn't exist. Congratulations to all who received their promotions. Whether you realize it or not, you hold a significant role with a huge responsibility. Wield your power and knowledge with honor. Teach those in need of help. Be an example, and inspiration. We're in this thing together, and we all have an important part in this chain of life.