The Greatest Tragedy Is To Have an Enemy

By: Dr. Gary S. Goodman
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:26:24
Print this article | Tell a friend | For publisher | Social Bookmarking
Rating:
 

Among other things, I am a martial artist, and like many who have elected this path and put in years of practice and study, I have returned to a place of contentment where the last thing I want in my life is violence of any kind.

There is a memorable scene in one of the Frankenstein movies, when the monster is befriended by a blind fiddler. Without speech, the brute ingratiates himself and is accepted for his inner beauty, and without sight, the fiddler is appreciated for his hearth, his warmth, and his hospitality.

They become friends, as the firelight flickers in the modest cabin, somewhere up at the tree line’s edge, beyond the reach of the town and its torch bearing tormentors.

The “Tao,” the revered book of Chinese wisdom attributed to Lao Tsu, says the greatest tragedy is to have an enemy.

This line presupposes that in living, deep conflicts are optional, not customary. In a sense we choose an adversarial life, and if this is so, it is a very bad election to make.

I was meditating on my behavior, lately, and I like it, especially the politeness I have been showing, thanking people, and saying “please” often. I’ve been patient in traffic, acknowledging people for their telephone assistance, and effortlessly complimenting folks for the small gestures they’ve been making on my behalf.

These are little civilities, I know, but they’ve been met with reciprocating gentleness and appreciation. I’m beginning to hear the fiddler, and feel the warm fire tickling my thickened skin.

Could we devise a martial art based on good manners and appreciation?

Is this, in part, the basis of the Japanese Tea Ceremony?

Is this the spirit that the Aikido founder, Morihei Ueshiba, was inspired by?

Is this the true strength of committed pacifists, like Gandhi and Martin Luther King?

Make friends with yourself, and heal your torn and conflicted motivations, and then see what kind of martial artist you become.

Best-selling author of 12 books and more than 900 articles, Dr. Gary S. Goodman is considered "The Gold Standard"--the foremost expert in sales development, customer service, and telephone effectiveness. Top-rated as a speaker, seminar leader, and consultant, his clients extend across the globe and the organizational spectrum, from the Fortune 1000 to small businesses. He can be reached at: gary@customersatisfaction.com.

Article source: Expert Articles

Most Recent Articles in Martial Arts category

  • How Would Today's Martial Artist Stack Up in a True Warrior Society? - By: Damian Ross
    Not long ago the public was reintroduced to the Spartans and their warrior culture thanks to the film 300 based off of Frank Miller's graphic novel of the same name. This latest retelling of events that happen in Greece in 480 BC shouldn't be considered historically accurate; it was never intended to be that way. None the less, the real Spartans even without their "Hollywood Personas" still remain impressive to this day. They were truly a martial society. They understood that in order to remain free you must always be ready to fight. Love of country and each other along with disciplined training made them an unstoppable force. They claimed to be descended from Hercules, but they didn't just talk the talk they walked the walk. Ancient Sparta had no need for walls; it relied on its fighting men alone to protect her.
  • The Economics of Self Defense - By: Damian Ross
    The following is a letter I received: "I'm a 52 year old guy who has been pretty active lifting weights for about 20 years but about a year ago I found myself in a situation where a guy suckered me and I friggin was so intimidated that I walked away with my tail between my legs. Thankfully the only damage was to my ego cause I totally wimped out in front of my buddies who were there... but more importantly I realized that I was totally unprepared to defend either myself or my family should the occasion arise.
  • MMA Digest - By: Rodger Hopkins
    The UFC started its journey on the 12th of November, 1993 and gained enormous fame in a very short time pushing other sports to the back seat. The popularity of the sport is almost unimaginable.
  • Can Martial Arts and Self Defense Training Prepare Our Children for a School Shooting? - By: Damian Ross
    The subject hits home to everyone. At one point our biggest safety issue in school was bullying. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case. Over the past few years, school shootings have been increasing in frequency and in violence. Imagine, there you are, going through your every day routine, thinking about your next class, upcoming test or joking with your friends and then all of the sudden you are in the middle of a war zone, your world is turned upside down....
  • "The Deadliest Man Alive" - The Truth behind the Legend of Count Dante - By: Damian Ross
    Any comic book fan of the 1960's will know about "Count Dante, The Deadliest Man Alive." His menacing grimace and "tiger stance" graced the back cover of all major comic books portraying him as another character in the comic itself.
  • The Black Belt Myth - By: Damian Ross
    Every once in a while I get an email from some misguided and offended martial artist with his or her knickers in a twist telling me where I go wrong by saying "Martial Arts will Fail You Every time". But facts are facts.
  • Martial Arts Training And Self Defense: Do You Take Yours 'Trained or Untrained' - By: Damian Ross
    Like religion and politics, martial arts are not for a lack of it's zealots. Decide right now, you can either A. Continue to "sip the kool-aide" or B. Look to improve and learn. One criticism about our training material is that it is simple and could only work against some one who is untrained. What the hell does this mean, exactly? Does trained mean a woman who takes muay thai or the serial rapist, sociopath who has successfully applied his trade a dozen times? Does it apply to the mixed martial artists or the bag-man on a pick up? Who do you want to fight for your life against, the martial artist or emotionally disturbed person (EPD) who gargles with pepper spray?
  • Keep it Official with Trendy Martial Arts Clothing - By: Kimberly Green
    Who is your favorite fighter?? Show off your hostility with MMA Clothing and check out the wide, wide world of Mixed Martial Arts.
  • MMA Clothing to Represent The New Violent Spectator Sport of Choice, Bye Bye Boxing - By: Kimberly Green
    Apparently our threshold for violence has increased, because boxing doesn't seem to cut it for us anymore, adding variables to fighting methods keeps the art ever more challenging to master and entertaining to watch.
  • My KUNG-FU is Better Than Your KUNG-FU: Which Martial Arts Style is The BEST Martial Arts Style - By: Damian Ross
    By Damian Ross of The Self Defense Company It first started long ago when some unkown combat aficionado first posed the question: "Which is BETTER, boxing or wrestling' ?"