Honestly expressing yourself - Bruce Lee

In light of the new documentary "I am Bruce Lee" that gave Spike TV it's highest rating ever for documentaries, I wanted to reexamine my martial arts roots. It should come as no surprise that Bruce Lee movies influenced me to become a martial artist as he did for many others. Growing up on the South side of Chicago I can remember how everyone imitated the sounds Bruce made while doing horribly ugly sidekicks at one another. Occasionally I would see a random kid in my hood with a Kung Fu uniform on, walking down the street. I didn't know what to make of it but I definately thought he could kick some ass. I mean you had to be pretty brave to walk around the South side dressed like you ust got of the boat from Hong Kong. At that time Bruce Lee was fantasy to us, a every man hero that we could all relate to. It wasn't until later that I realized it wasn't just fantasy.

At seven years old I started playing little league baseball. I played every year until moving to Texas at 13. As you get older you get to change parks and play with the bigger kids at the big park with the real baseball fields. I remember first being exposed to my new coach Carlos Lovington. He was a slim man with an air of confidence that I still recall clearly to this day. Back then in Chicago gang violence was on the rise and kids were often put into sports to keep them away from the craziness going on around town. Carlos was extremely strict with us and I assume it was for this reason. However I would find out later that he didn't act this way with us because he was a mean hard nosed coach trying to win Little League championships(which we did BTW). he was this strict and demanded respect because he was a traditional martial artist with a blackbelt in Tae kwon do. He gave me my first look into the mentality of a true fighter. However he wasn't my introduction into live martial arts, that respect goes to one of his students. I went to baseball practice early on this day and what I saw that day would change me forever. When I got to the clubhouse to check in with my coach I realized the door was open. I had never been inside before and was nervous about going in. As I approached the door I could see a lone figure moving inside. There in the middle of the room was a young man probably about 16 or 17 years old practicing with Bruce Lee's weapon of choice the nunchaku aka nunchuks. I was overwhelmed, it was real!!! I went home that day and begged to take the only word I knew "Karate". My mom spoke to coach Carlos and the rest is history. I am a martial artist to this day and so proud and happy that it is still a huge part of my life. As another martial artist said to me recently, "it just gives you that little something extra". There are many memories that still cross my mind about my time doing Taekwondo with Master Carlos but one of the best memories was my uncle upon finding out I was training telling me a story. He said to me that he knew my coach and that when he met him "he was kicking the bark off of trees". It just added to the mystique of Master Carlos but after spending time with him you wouldn't have been surprised to hear that he was kicking down Redwoods with Chuck Norris for firewood. No joke he was and still is legendary to me.

I recieved this certificate when I got my green belt. I have chosen to do what Bruce laid out for me ever since "Honestly express yourself" the meaning of Martial arts.