Photo bySteven LibralononUnsplash

Once upon a time in the wondrous state of North Carolina, where the Blue Ridge Mountains stretched out like a giant's afternoon nap, and the Outer Banks played hide and seek with the Atlantic Ocean, lived a sprightly bunch of kids. They were not just any ordinary kids, no no no! They were the Kung Fu Kids of Carolina! In every nook and cranny of this splendid state, from the sassy city of Charlotte to the fun-loving town of Fayetteville, these kids trained in the ancient art of Kung Fu. Their leader was a panda named Paddy. Now, Paddy was no ordinary panda, he was a wizard Panda! Straight from the enchanted bamboo forests of China, Paddy had the heart of a lion, the strength of a bear, and a sense of humor the size of a blue whale. He could somersault faster than a cheetah and was funnier than a box of ticklish monkeys. Day in and out, Paddy trained these enthusiastic youngsters to become Kung Fu masters. They learned to leap like leopards, punch like pythons, and kick faster than kangaroos! But the most important part of Paddy's training, was making them laugh. He’d twist his chubby panda body into hilarious poses, make funny faces, and even tell jokes while balancing on one paw. After all, he firmly believed that the secret to mastering Kung Fu was having a belly full of laughter. Paddy always said, "To be a true Kung Fu master, you must learn to kick, punch, and giggle, all at the same time!" And that, my dear friend, is the tale of the Kung Fu Kids of Carolina, who learned that the true power of Kung Fu lies not in the strength of their punches, but in the strength of their laughter!