MonkeySlap Too
12-10-2001, 02:11 PM
I was just talking to a student of mine, and this student seemed genuinely puzzeled by what I said.
STUDENT: What happens if you have kids, and they don't like martial arts?
ME: They can like whatever they want to.
STUDENT: I thought martial arts were the most important thing to you.
ME: Nope. First my family, then my career, then my martial arts. It is a big part of my life, but it's a distant third.
My student seemed astounded. I see the logic in my approach to life, but somehow I think I was expected to be some kind of monk who put CMA above family and career. An option, that I can't say never tempted me, but just is not as rewarding. Why would I put FIGHTING above a solid home life?
Which got me thinking. I always was billed as (mostly by my teacher) someone who trains fighters. When I look around at my students, I don't think it's true. Always being picky, I think I train nice people how to fight. There is a difference there. And while I love to fight, I find being nice is the best self-defense in real life scenarios. (Not always applicable, but good for 99% of the time)
Anybody else come across stuff like this? Do you expect your teachers to sacrifice all for the art? Do you expect yourself to?
STUDENT: What happens if you have kids, and they don't like martial arts?
ME: They can like whatever they want to.
STUDENT: I thought martial arts were the most important thing to you.
ME: Nope. First my family, then my career, then my martial arts. It is a big part of my life, but it's a distant third.
My student seemed astounded. I see the logic in my approach to life, but somehow I think I was expected to be some kind of monk who put CMA above family and career. An option, that I can't say never tempted me, but just is not as rewarding. Why would I put FIGHTING above a solid home life?
Which got me thinking. I always was billed as (mostly by my teacher) someone who trains fighters. When I look around at my students, I don't think it's true. Always being picky, I think I train nice people how to fight. There is a difference there. And while I love to fight, I find being nice is the best self-defense in real life scenarios. (Not always applicable, but good for 99% of the time)
Anybody else come across stuff like this? Do you expect your teachers to sacrifice all for the art? Do you expect yourself to?