Give the Gift of a Gi
My gi donation program has been both heart-warming and
eye-opening. It has brought more than
the tangible gift of the [almost] one hundred gis that are in piles on my
living room floor; it has brought the intangible gift of shared memories,
growth, challenges and glory. At first I
worried that the donors telling me stories would change their minds, and in the
middle of handing the gi over, renege. Or that maybe they would suffer from
separation anxiety and would want their gi back the next day. But no one did any
of those things. Instead they gave me more than their gi, they gave me a part
of their jiu-jitsu journey. I want to share some of their stories here.
“This is my very
first gi. It looks more like a judo gi because when I started there were no gis
for jiu-jitsu.”
“That is my first gi. When I started I wore the pants
backwards. Finally an upper belt pointed out my mistake.”
“This is my very first gi. I dyed it myself [lavender]. It’s
been sitting in my closet. I don’t wear it, but I didn’t know what to do with
it. I wore this when I got my purple belt and when I had to go through the
traditional “Ironman” and roll with everyone in the gym. I feel good knowing it
is going to a good cause. This feels like the right thing to do with it.”
“I wore this when I weighed 285. So glad to say it doesn’t
fit anymore.”
“This is my son’s gi from when he first started. Wow, I
can’t believe how big he is now.”
“I remember when I got this first tear on the lapel. I was
so proud. To me it meant I had worked hard enough to, like, earn it … and I’m
still going.”
“This is a nice gi. That’s the logo of my first sponsor
there on the leg.”
Most of the gis tell stories I will never know. Some are as
soft as pillow cases from hundreds of washes and countless hours of wear. There
are torn knees and lapels; there are gis that look brand-new (some that are brand-new); some that need
drawstrings and some that came with white belts. And I can’t help but wonder
about the grips that have held them; the opponents they have viewed; the mats
they have rolled on.
Ahhh, if gis could talk.
I wonder what mine would say. I remember my first gi, my first lapel
tear, my first team patch. I remember which ones I took where when I visited
other gyms. I remember which ones I wore in every competition. I hope my gis
would say that I took good care of them and that the detergent I chose made
them smell good. I hope they would say I treated with the respect due a suit of
armor and that I wore them with pride, that I deserved them.
Thanks to all who have participated and those of you who
plan to participate in Give the Gift of a Gi.
“No gi shall be
discriminated against on the basis of color [I have received white, black,
blue, green, purple, brown and red]; national origin [Pakistan, Brazil, China];
gender [male and female styles]; brand [too many to name]; physical limitations
[some would not meet IBJJF standards]; team status [many still have their
patches]; for participation in any program or activity conducted by this organization.”
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