Sacrifice

[Fluffy]

My bad. Re-read your post. My overall point is the same though, I hate to see good instructors quit or "falling by the wayside" because they do not want to adapt to a changing society.

 

[Explorer]

It seems to me that 'sacrifice' would be the wrong word to describe my situation. I think martial arts, breathe martial arts ... it's never gone from my thoughts for very long. Not because I'm committed to it ... but because at some level ... it committed itself to me. I know it's a wierd way of saying it but I feel that what martial arts training and philosophy have given me so far outweigh my 'sacrifices' that I don't feel as if I've sacrificed anything. My wife and children have always understood that my life includes this martial arts thing and they share my joy in discovery and growth.

WOW! THAT came out pretty smarmy! But it is what it is.

 

[Franc0]

OK...
but I'm a married man with a family, and my family doesn't want to do martial arts.
My son wants to do soccer, my daughter dance and my wife an aerobics class and we all have events at church...
so now what? I can't "include" them in my training, this path is not for everyone.
For me, martial arts IS a 'way of life', but there is still sacrifice. It is unavoidable. My family is THE most important thing in my life, but I do cut out some time each day to practice and then some time each week for classes.
1 - HOW is that not sacrifice??

2 - Sorry if I come off all peeved about your point of view, but it seems like you are saying that if I don't joyfully give my time to the martial arts and drag everyone along with me.....I'm not in it for the love of the arts or the "way".
Or....I have a 'wrong' attitude.
what gives?

Your Brother
John

1 - Who said that is not sacrifice? I think you need to re-read my post. I didn't mean to generalise everyone that trains, because having to scarifice for training can be on an individual basis. My family accepts the time I put into my training/teaching because it's been a part of my life since way before they were around. So my family looks at it like other families do when their dads go fishing, bowling or to their Water Buffalo Lodge meetings :drinkbeer . I guess I'm lucky in that. Do I consider the time I spend away from them a sacrifice? No. If you take into consideration the amount of time I spend with my son doing weekend activities, attending PTA meetings and school activities and coaching his little league football team, I think a little me time is okay. Three 2 hour sessions per week is nothing compared to the time I spend with my family, and they mean EVERYTHING to me too John.
2 - Hey, no biggie. You're getting peeved over nothing because that wasn't at all what I was saying. Sorry, but I should've meant to say that this was more of my personal experience when it came to the part about it becoming more of a way of life over time as opposed to a sacrifice. For me, there might have been some sacrifice when I first began training, but I never looked at it like that and those small sacrifices dissappeared, and it turned into a way of life real fast.
I'm lucky, like Explorer, I never felt like I had to sacrifice anything.
You know what John? The more I thought about this, I realised that lately I've actually had to scarifice some of my training time in order to attend alot of school & sports functions with the family! Kinda ironic huh?

:asian: Franco

 

[Kensai]

Yeah, turn off the damn TV after work, put on your workout clothes and start moving. It is so easy to get lulled into wasting time that could be so much better spent.

Amen brother, that's is smack on the money.

 

[Kenpojujitsu3]

Yeah, turn off the damn TV after work, put on your workout clothes and start moving. It is so easy to get lulled into wasting time that could be so much better spent.

Hey! My xbox360 is not a waste of time! I learn alot of practical martial arts by playing video games. Now if I could only remember how to throw that fireball again....hmmmm............. :idunno:

Good point as always Crane!

 

[Jenna]

I wrapped up the conversation by saying the martial arts are about sacrifice, it's not what you have to do that makes the journey difficult, it's what you have to give up and let go of along that makes it hard.

What are your thoughts on this?

Hey Denny my friend and does this mean for you personally that you would relinquish everything to continue your martial journey? Cos I would have thought in your case there were many great things that you would NOT be prepared to sacrifice for any of your martial arts, yes?

Yr most obdt hmble srvt,
Jenna

 

[Franc0]

Hey! My xbox360 is not a waste of time! I learn alot of practical martial arts by playing video games. Now if I could only remember how to throw that fireball again....hmmmm............. :idunno:
Good point as always Crane!

LOL, good one. It's funny cause one of the lesser examples (in some opinions) of sacrifice is simply getting off the couch. But to some, thats an extreme example (some folks are just really lazy).

Franco

 

[Brother John]

1 - Who said that is not sacrifice? I think you need to re-read my post.
:asian: Franco

Your'e right Franco...

oddly enough, I usually try to stay 'detatched' when replying to posts here. Thing is.....it struck a nerve as my wife and I had recently had conflicts about the balance between my out-of-the-dojo life and my IN the dojo life...
it's a balancing act., and the tension from it was very much on the surface.

Sorry to have been wearing my heart on my sleeve there.

Your Brother
John

 

[Franc0]

Your'e right Franco...

oddly enough, I usually try to stay 'detatched' when replying to posts here. Thing is.....it struck a nerve as my wife and I had recently had conflicts about the balance between my out-of-the-dojo life and my IN the dojo life...
it's a balancing act., and the tension from it was very much on the surface.

Sorry to have been wearing my heart on my sleeve there.

Your Brother
John

My friend, no apologies needed. Like I said in the 1st sentence of my original post "I've lost more students to wives and girlfriends.....". So if anything, I understand & commend you on enduring the conflicts you suffer for maintaining the "way of life" that could someday save her life.


Franco

 

[matt.m]

For me it is a way of life in a lot of regards. Here is why: I belong to the same organization as my father. I was raised around hapkido and tae kwon and judo. It is like hand a glove with me almost. Even though I am low ranking currently in Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido. I have my green in tae kwon do and my orange in hapkido. I have my brown in Judo.

This does not take away from the fact that I am quite knowledgeable about the organizations history. To me it is not hard to make time for Moo Sul Kwan. Not at all, it is theraputic physically and mentally to go to class twice a week, and work for a half hour or so daily. I don't care if it is stretching, kicking, forms, basic moves, wrist or clothes techniques whatever.

I am married and have a nice job, I know how to dedicate time to each to keep everything in balance. Really I agree with it being a dedication aspect, it is not in any way a sacrifice issue. If it is a sacrifice then you are doing Martial Arts for all the wrong reasons.

I was in the Marine Corps like my good friend Meanie. He understands dedication. To get past the Marine Drill Instructors and have a successful enlistment takes dedication. Afterall there was no putting in a two weeks notice.

 

[green meanie]

Hey Denny my friend and does this mean for you personally that you would relinquish everything to continue your martial journey? Cos I would have thought in your case there were many great things that you would NOT be prepared to sacrifice for any of your martial arts, yes?

Yr most obdt hmble srvt,
Jenna

Good question. Let us hope it never get's put to the test. I have a wife who doesn't participate but is supportive -and that's a good thing for both our sakes, because if she wasn't... things would go badly between us. I went through a lot of girlfriends who couldn't understand why I have to do this and why this matters. When I finally found one who didn't understand it either but supported it anyway I knew I had better hang on to her.

 

[green meanie]

I've lost more students to wives & girlfriends that complained they were spending too much time training, than any other reason.

It's amazing how many people I've met who have said their girlfriends / wives would rather they were at the bar, or bowling, or ANYTHING, besides training. I don't get it. :idunno: