In martial arts legend, Buddhist monks studied animal movements to create the five fighting styles that constituted the foundation of Shaolin Kung Fu. The five styles were the dragon, the snake, the tiger, the leopard, and the crane. If you’ve seen The Karate Kid starring Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio, you’re familiar with the crane style, “no defense”. Yeah, the dragon style was entirely man-made, leveraging chi or ki, one’s inner strength, to generate power. Obviously, there were no dragons, as far as I know. Then again, I wasn’t around in 13th century China. Just saying.
I’m no Shaolin Priest. Yet recently, I’ve studied animal movements, specifically that of the squirrel.
During the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine, I teleworked from home. I continued Aikido weapons training that inherently maintained social distancing with the bokken (wooden sword) and jo (wooden staff). However, the YMCA where I worked out closed, like other health clubs. No aerobics classes or lifting weights for me.
To sustain a modicum of an exercise regiment, I took daily walks at my favorite park in Torrance. I got accustomed to walking in the evenings after work. It was nice to be outdoors with the setting sun, in nature. Well, at least in nature for the most part. After all, I was in a city park.
On my walks, I observed squirrels in the park. Squirrels are amazing small lightweight creatures. Given their miniature stature, I marveled at their strength, agility, and quickness. From my Aikido training, I appreciated how these little guys constantly maintained their balance under the most adverse circumstances. Balance is a fundamental distinction in Aikido.
I gained an affinity for one particular squirrel. Admittedly, they all kind of look alike. Just saying. That little guy got used to seeing me and me taking photos with my iPhone. Seemingly, he got that I meant no harm. He got way more accessible as I brought walnut snacks. Unsalted, of course.
I named the squirrel, Rocky, an old-school homage; I grew up watching the Saturday morning cartoon Rocky and Bullwinkle. Bullwinkle was the comical giant talking moose. Rocky was his talking flying squirrel sidekick. Okay, my Rocky doesn’t fly. I refer to Rocky as the Rock, because he’s the amazingly handsome squirrel. He’s the Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson of squirrels.
I take photos of Rocky chowing down on his snacks in the park. I post Rocky’s photos on Facebook and Instagram. The Rock gets many likes. Maybe someday, Rocky gets his own Facebook and Instagram pages. Again, just saying.
I texted some photos of Rocky to my friend Marc Carithers. Marc texted back, “Simple Life”. Yeah, that’s it. Rocky has a simple life. Maybe, we should all have a simple life, too.
Often, I make life more complicated than it actually is. Then again, life seems to get complicated and complex all on its own. Yet, life in its very design is simple. We’re all born into life. We all shall have our inevitable demise, too. Perhaps, that simple design gets lost in our own trials and tribulations.
In between the lines of the beginning and the end, I make my life meaningful. I create my own infinity within those lines. Not all infinities are created equal. Some infinities are simply bigger than others. That’s just math. I dismiss the comparison to those of others. Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba said, “True victory is victory over oneself.” I’m my own GOAT (Greatest of All-Time) opponent. I continually overcome myself. Yes, simple. No, not easy.
The late Mizukami Sensei said, “Just train. It’s not like you have to get somewhere.” I just train. I make my life work.
I endured my abusive childhood. Dad terrified me as a little boy. I was never going to be good enough for him. Consequently, I would never be enough. Working with my Therapist Lance, I distinguished the voice saying, “Jon, you’re no good.” was my Dad’s voice. That was his Dad’s voice, too. The legacy of abusive parents.
The late Mizukami Sensei taught me Aikido for over 25 years. Sensei taught me what it is to be a good man. What, I had missed growing up at home. Sensei granted the space to be me, to invent the greater-than versions of myself. I was free to just be.
Through therapy, Aikido training, writing, and meditation, I learned to love myself for who I am and forgive myself for who I’m not. I healed me. I started by hating on me a whole lot less. I practiced kindness for others and for me. I practiced that over, and over, and over, and over again. Practice makes the unnatural, natural. Again, simple. Not easy. Just train.
As Werner Erhard said, I choose who I’m going to be in any given moment. Getting that, my most authentic expression is making a difference. That’s meaningful.
In over 30 years of Aikido, I’m Godan (fifth-degree black belt), because of the late Mizukami Sensei and Ishibashi Sensei. Nothing, but mad love and respect to them. Making a difference is training and passing on all that I got from Mizukami Sensei and Ishibashi Sensei to others. Mizukami Sensei had taught both Ishibashi Sensei and me. Sensei wanted the world to be a better place. Ishibashi Sensei and I perpetuate Sensei’s profound legacy by making a difference for Aikido students on their individual journeys. What Mizukami Sensei had done for both of us. Amen.
In healing my childhood trauma and depression, I wrote a book about my journey. Ken Goldstein, my dear friend for over 40 years, suggested that I self-publish. He said that there was an audience for my message. So, I did so. No, my book wasn’t the fairytale bestseller. Yet, that lead to working with my Editor Lisa Blacker on The Good Men Project. I write about loving and forgiving thine own self. Perhaps, what Lisa and I write makes a difference in the world. My sincere hope.
Life can be simple. We often forget that. We’ve all gone through our own trials and tribulations. Still, we’re the ones who choose, who we are going to be. We’re the ones, who give life meaning. Simple. Again, not easy.
Watching Rocky the squirrel, enjoy his walnut snacks reminds me of the possibility of a simple life. The simplicity of a little squirrel. The greater wisdom of the simple life. Just saying.
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