I waited until I was sat down on the computer to write this, as it's a good question and it deserves a longer answer.
I walked into my first karate class at 17. I was a lonely, bullied kid who acted up a lot. I don't remember particularly being disruptive, the way I remember it I was being horribly bullied and the teachers at school did everything in their power to make it worse and inflicted ever more horrible punishments on me. I saw a child psychiatrist, and the school proceeded to ignore every single one of their recommendations, so I'm not sure why they bothered calling her in in the first place.
My first karate class, as I say. It was part of the duke of Edinburgh's award group. In this ultra-strict environment I flourished. I started working out quite seriously. I made plans to join the royal marines. I was extremely fit and much more confident. School was still a nightmare, but I enjoyed martial arts classes and got my first belt.
Then everything fell apart. After the course at the youth club, I continued attending karate lessons until the club folded due to a lack of members. Being more confident and less cowed, I got into even more trouble at school. I became basically uncontrollable and eventually I was expelled. So I went to a sixth form college instead, and initially I did well. For the first time I had teachers who believed in me and my ability. Unfortunately, I let them down.
Then I discovered marijuana and everything fell apart again. I wasn't expelled, but I did very badly in my A levels. I then spent years in the wilderness, got and lost a series of jobs. During this time I discovered judo and a few other martial arts and went to the kayakking club. I was off and on. I would do things for 3-6 months and then quit. I did MMA, kung fu, Taekwondo and a whole load of other stuff.l I also however began experimenting with drinking and drugs. Very little at the time, but it's a problem that would gradually get worse and worse.
Then I went to art college. Foundation year was the best year of my life. Good company, good art, good times.
Then, predictably, things fell apart again. I suffered a nervous breakdown towards the end of foundation year as a consequence of doing a 70 hour week at college, taking massive amounts of drugs, and drinking and smoking a lot. I was diagnosed with schizophrenia and hospitalised for a time. I went back to college after just a week inside, was diagnosed with asperger's syndrome, and graduated fairly comfortably. Then I had a few more years in the wilderness, working various crappy jobs, taking any old odd job, and some of them were very odd. I was hospitalised briefly for depression.
Then I went back to karate. This time I persisted for a few years, learned the kata up to passai. My problem was always fitness. I still smoked, despite a few spells on the NHS quit smoking service- I'd do the whole program and then screw it up again, usually. I worked out extensively but the gains were few and far between. But I learned a lot, had a great time and eventually became a 2nd kyu. During that time I also completed an MA in Art history and worked as a stable hand.
Then something very important happened. The vicar caught me smoking on the bench outside the church and got me to come to choir practice. One week she asked me if I'd like to come to church. I thought 'why not?' and went. Best decision I ever made. I became a practicing Christian very quickly. The drinking stopped. The drugs went completely overnight. The smoking stopped. I exercised regularly. I'd lost the stable hand job by then and immediately got a better job with more hours and better pay. Unfortunately, the man who ran the business died. I still have enough work for the present, as the owner's wife needs a lot of help sorting out the grounds, but the end is in sight.
Then I broke my hand. I wanted to carry on karate classes with my hand in a sling, but sensei and her lieutenants told me I was being very silly and to come back when I was healed. This whole sorry saga can be read here at martial talk. When I stopped going to karate, I started drinking and smoking again.
Then came a revelation. I felt called upon to serve as a priest. It happened very quickly and suddenly, and I started helping out at church. I discovered I was good at it, and that the congregation liked me. So this weekend, I'm going to a conference to start my journey. I continue to exercise as much as my hand permits, and the injury is nearly healed. But I feel more compelled to serve the lord than I do to go back to karate. I will continue to do kata and work out and run, to keep things going, but I have bigger things in mind. I'd love to try wrestling. I'm naturally talented as a grappler in a way I am not in striking arts. There is a school in Cardiff where I hope to go to theological college. If all goes according to plan I will be both a cleric and a martial artist again. Wish me luck.
. I have some sort of warrior gene because I have a reserve of energy, I have keen senses, and sometimes when someone strong comes nearby me I can sense it and feel like wanting to challenge them. I even smell blood when someone strong comes into frame sometimes.
5 is a little young, hope you made some exceptions later on ..
