The Unbroken Circle: Forty-Nine Years of the Way

February 16, 2026 by C. Michial Jones

In the quiet moments between training sessions and the quarterly reality of cancer screenings, I find myself looking back at the long arc of my journey. It began in 1977 at the Komakai Academy of Karate and Judo. Today, in 2026, I mark 49 years of continuous, unwavering study.

Forty-nine years is more than a tenure; it is a lifetime of “entering the dojo.” It has been a privilege to train under a “who’s who” of Okinawan masters and American pioneers—men who didn’t just teach me how to fight, but how to live.

The Harvest of the Dojo

People often measure a martial arts career by the color of the belt or the number of trophies on the shelf. I have those—black belts in multiple disciplines, and state, regional, national, and world championships from my days on the circuit. I’ve written books, been inducted into Halls of Fame, and served as President of various organizations.

But as I stand at the 49-year mark, those accolades feel like the leaves of a tree. The roots and the fruit are what matter:

• The Roots: Several transformative trips to Okinawa, the birthplace of our art, to drink from the source.
• The Fruit: Seeing all of my children earn their black belts, and now witnessing at least one of my grandchildren begin their own training.
• The Legacy: Watching my own black belts produce black belts of their own. There is no greater success for a teacher than to see the “DNA” of the art survive into the third and fourth generations.

The Silent Partner

None of this—not the travels to teach, the decades of patrol work, the grueling BJJ sessions, or the 31 years of Gasshuku—would have been possible without my wife, Amber.

She is the one who stayed behind when I traveled the country. She is the one who managed the dojo, and our home while I was at the dojo or the station. And today, she is the one who still supports me being on the mat five days a week, even when the body is tired and the battle with cancer is ongoing. Behind every black belt is a partner whose sacrifice made the rank possible.

Conclusion: The Run Continues

All in all, it has been a “pretty good run.” But as any practitioner of Budo knows, the circle is never truly closed. There is always a deeper level of Sanchin, a more subtle application of Tuite, and a more efficient way to roll.

I don’t know what 2026 or beyond holds for my health, but I know where I will be. I will be on the mat. I will be with my family. And I will be grateful for every “bow in” I am granted. Here’s to the next round.