I know. March 13th. Last post. I have no real good reason for the lapse. I do have a few half finished posts I just deleted from months past. And not for lack of subject matter either. A lot has happened since we last met.
Well, for one thing, I need to update the blog banner. Because on May 1, 2017, I was promoted to blue belt. Me. Blue belt. Crazy. I did not expect it, because I did not feel like I deserved it. I still had more beatings to endure as a white belt. I still had so much to learn. Well, if you look out to the horizon, the earth seems flat. If you get a higher perspective, the earth becomes round. Really an oblong sphere, but lets go with round. The point is, my coaches see the round and I see the flat. I will surely endure plenty more beatings, and I will forever have so much to learn. The real story here is that everyone’s belt promotion is unique to their own journey within the art. Let’s face it, being 43 versus 23 does make a difference. Sometimes good. Sometimes not so good. My path is one of who began practicing jiu jitsu later in life. It is harder. No question. Physically and mentally. Very early on my coach told me not to compare myself to the 20 year olds. Those words are only now really beginning to take form and meaning.
For instance, go back and read my last post from March. I talk about not being strong. That’s me trying to be 20 year old strong when I should be focusing more on being 43 year old smart. You don’t get a lot stronger past 40. That is just the human condition. But you can get smarter. And experience tells me that 20 year old lions don’t like to lose, nor are they patient in their pursuit. I’m not going to give away all of my secrets just yet. Anyway, blue belt. Good on me. I have come to appreciate what it means, and today, I do feel like I am deserving. Does it make me any less susceptible to getting tapped by a white belt? Not in the least. In that regard, belts have no place. I suppose appreciating this fact is part of why I am deserving of the blue belt.
Next, and briefly, I want to talk about back health. I was sidelined for many weeks during this hiatus due to low back pain. I went to a neurosurgeon and indeed I had nerves being impinged, causing me a lot of pain. Pain in my back that had the added bonus of radiating to my testicle. It was a good time. Hey, not only am I going to make your life miserable, but let’s throw in a little nut pain to boot. Rather than surgery, I opted for chiropractic treatment. I will be the first to admit, I had chiropractors pegged right up there with voodoo witch doctors. Come into the office, we cut off a chicken head, and where the chicken drops determines your course of treatment. This couldn’t have been further from the truth. Long story short, I am pain free. Back and ball. Yes, it took a few months, but I did it the right way. Sure some days I get a little tight, but that simply comes with the territory. The real story here is that I did not have to have surgery. Which as I found out, doesn’t even work half the time and when it does, you end up having to undergo further surgeries because you’re not fixing the problem, but merely alleviating symptoms. Chiropractic care works.
Ok folks, that all said, I will say I’ve missed writing. And for those of you reading, I appreciate you hanging in there.
Keep on truckin’.