Gold, Again? Sure Why Not?

I can't believe I was able to achieve this. I wasn't at my best. A cold, and seasonal allergies cut into my training. I didn't have the same level of fitness as last time. The opponents were tough. I had to utilize mindset in order to push forward, and prevail. I am not a natural competitor. I don't enjoy competition. In some ways I even hate competition.

I do love Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu though. I love the history. I love the art. I love the camaraderie that comes along with the practice. Most of my teammates showed up, and were in my corner. Community is important. Isolation is essential for a human being as well. We need time to be alone to process. Sometimes, it can be painful/lonely. Sometimes, it can be boring. Sometimes, it can be blissful. I enjoy my alone time. In this time, I make art. You can't write, and be with people. Well, some people can write and be at a Starbucks. Could writers choose a better place to write? Wouldn't you prefer a small mom and pop cafe? Hemingway wrote at little charming cafes, not Starbucks! We can't be alone all the time though. At some point we engage with the world. The world engages back. Sometimes, it's a battle (literally, and figuratively).

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is really about self discovery. That goes for all the martial arts. Competition is strange. What does it mean? Does competition play into our evolution? The ones who lost the competition typically died. Many of us had the benefit of the modern world to protect us from carnage. We don't have the same relationship with mortality in the U.S.A. Elsewhere in the world, it's a bloodbath. It's in our nature to engage in warfare. It's our death drive that pushes us into self annihilation. I wonder if we need to exercise this in some manner that's productive. Is that where sport and martial arts come in. Most of our development was tragic. Parents lost children. Children lost parents, and became orphans. Countless men stepped onto battlefields, and were slaughtered ruthlessly.

Could the world be a better place if we had a way to put this death drive energy to use? Yes! We can't ignore the fact that we're sophisticated savages. Yoga, meditation, and prayer can all be great things. It doesn't replace good old fashion reptilian brain "kill or be killed". Men, commit 75.6 percent of violent crime based on The United States Department of Justice statistics. We need an outlet. BJJ is a way for men to release the savage. One doesn't need to compete. Simply stepping on the mats can do what is necessary to tame the beast within.

The second gold medal is a great achievement. I am grateful for a wonderful team. I am grateful to a supportive family. I also am grateful to my competitors who were true gentlemen. The medal is not the end all be all though. It is merely gravy. BJJ has transformed my life into a better one. It has given me an outlet, community, self discovery, and a deep connection to the world.

I hope all who are reading this (who don't train BJJ) give it a try. If you are not healthy enough to do so then I hope you find something that funnels that death drive energy. Wim Hof experiences the adversity in extreme cold. Michael Phelps explores his connection to the world by swimming. Whatever your mode to connect with the here and now, I wish you the best. I am grateful for BJJ. It's turns my savagery into art.