One of the proudest moment of my grade school years was when I got into a fight with a school bully. He was the son of the school janitor, a year older, and a head taller than I was. We were playing marbles when he ruined our game and tried to muscle me when I protested. He pushed me back so I retaliated with punch that almost knocked him down. We fought and I was giving him a beating when other schoolmates separated us. I was hardly marked and I can very well see the look of admiration especially from my classmates. Some of them too were bullied by the guy and in that day they looked at me like I was their champion.
That day changed my grade school life and making friends was a lot easier than before. From a company of three our group grew to about a dozen and with our number other groups avoided us. We got into some school skirmishes and we turned from good guys to bad guys. The next year we got into a fight with another group and to avoid a gang war I was paired with the other group's leader and we squared off after school. He was lot bigger than I was so I was hit a lot of times before I was able to wrestle him to the ground and started to pummel him to submission. It was a close call and it was then that I realize that I would get into a lot more trouble if I continue hanging out with the group.
I learned a good lesson out of that fight and it was then that I thought of learning Karate. I started watching Karate movies of Tony Ferrer and Roberto Gonzales hoping to pick up some techniques. Before going home I sometimes drop by Vilcat Karate Club to watch people including some kids practicing Karate. I still got into some fights thereafter but at least for some good reasons. I was small for my age so I got bullied a lot and I had to fight my way out most of the time.
Fighting had been a part of my young life and I could really say that luck was always with me for I never got hurt seriously from those encounters. I did a lot of things in those days that I'm not proud of and those little scares taught me a lesson - fighting is a serious business. I honed my boxing skills and later in life put up a fight club of my own.
I studied Aikido and Muay Tai and after a couple of years of training I realized that the deeper purpose of martial arts is just a vehicle for personal spiritual development. Its not just about acquiring skills to defend one's self but also to learn how to react to violence.
To go up against opponents not to hurt or defeat them but to measure up your skills against another individual is the true essence of martial arts. Hate have no place for fighting for it clouds the mind and dull your reflexes. You match your techniques against another to see what techniques you're lacking and learn from each other's mistakes. Its the kind of personal satisfaction only fighters understand cause they have experienced how it is to fit your skills against another. How you see respect in your opponents' eyes not because you are able to hurt them but morely because you are able to withstand their power.
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