My Journey: Series of Fortunate Events

CHAPTER 1

In no particular order. 

There are so many other people who have been a part of my getting to where I am. No one gets where they are alone. And teachers are not just those at the front of the class leading. They are those sitting next to us at any given moment. 

Seems like most of the people I’ve learned from have been guys. No reason it just worked out that way. When I started in karate back in ’82, there weren't many choices where I lived. I was fortunate to have started my journey with someone who was extremely knowledgeable. I was pushed beyond limits and achieved things I never could have imagined. The martial arts gave me a place to go, a place that not only relieved stress but put my spirit at ease as well. The dojo was always a place to balance my spirit and get me back on track. As new-agey as that sounds, the martial arts kept me out of dark places within myself. 

My core instructor talked a lot. There was a lot of history and other information relayed verbally. He also did not liked to be questioned and when he did not have answers his retaliation for asking such questions was not fun. Do as I say not as I do was the norm. I learned to stand up against all odds because of this guy. 

I also learned that I am the one person I need to trust completely. Others can be counted on, but if I cannot trust myself, my capacity, capability, potential and ability, then I would never be a strong and enduring as necessary. Perseverance and endurance was the mantra that ran through my mind throughout the nearly two decades of training in that system under that guy. That perseverance forged a lot of my reputation. Endurance got me through to the end when it came time to walk away. 

The significance of that early training set the foundation for almost everything else I do and the way I do it. But if I hadn’t already had the character I did, then the lessons learned on the training floor under this dude would not have had the impact it did. 

I know history stories martial arts. I know weaponry. I know dislocations, and broken bones and contusions and concussions. I have a lot in common with many colleagues that trained in the ol’ school manner. No mats and all out. This I hadn’t realized was anything special, it was all I knew. Apparently, from tales shared with non-old school people about some of the adventures, the looks of alarm are hints that not everyone shares the same sentiments about the good ol’ days. 

I learned a lot. But I did not learn how to defend against a predator. I learned to fight in a ring with training partners. Yeah, my training partners hit hard, but their goal was never to take annihilate or assault me. When I realized that what I needed was not a part of the training I had. I needed to figure out some things. The foundation was set and that meant that whatever I chose to build on top of it had a solid base to set upon.