When we were teenagers, my friends and I would sneak out at night, lie down at the bottom of my driveway, and stare up at the stars.
…and it was enough.
‘It Was Enough’ by Robert Van Valkenburgh
HOLISTIC BUDO: As in Life, so too in Budo. As in Budo, so too in Life.
Sometimes, when we are feeling low, God taps us on the shoulder, gives us a wink and a smile, and lets us know things are going to work out just fine.
Tonight, I was (am) struggling with some personal issues and feeling somewhat out of sorts.
I have been anxious, worried, and stressed out over some stuff I’ve been dealing with for a while now, but that I hope I to be working through.
As I was lying on the couch trying to relax, my young daughter started taking to me about Kogen Dojo, the martial art academy owned by my brother, myself, and our friend.
“Daddy, do you know why I was crying tonight at Kogen?” she asked.
“Why, dear?” I inquired.
“Because,” she explained, “I was thinking about the little blue training area we had in the basement at our old house. Then I looked around and saw all the people training at Kogen and thought about the two big schools we have now with so many people who want to come train.”
Moved to tears myself, I asked her, “So were you crying tears of joy?”
“Yes.” she continued, “It’s just amazing. Right, daddy?”
“Yes, dear. It really is.”
‘God Winks’ by Robert Van Valkenburgh
HOLISTIC BUDO: As in Life, so too in Budo. As in Budo, so too in Life.
We do not all have the luxury of doing what we love, but we do all have the ability to put love into what we do.
Not everyone can earn a living doing what they are passionate about.
Necessity demands that many, if not most, of us earn our livings doing things that have very little to do with that which bring us personal joy and fulfillment.
We often have to settle for work that is simply work.
We trade our labor, skill, and knowledge for money, but we must find happiness elsewhere.
Still, there is no reason that our occupation, the thing that occupies so much of our time, energy, and attention, should be an empty task that we perform without care.
Every act throughout our day is one we choose to do with or without love.
Our work is no different.
‘Working With Love’ by Robert Van Valkenburgh
HOLISTIC BUDO: As in Life, so too in Budo. As in Budo, so too in Life.
Self knowledge alone does not change us.
Change requires effort, dedication, and discipline.
In order to change, we must do the work.
Simply knowing our obstacles, problems, or shortcomings does not, itself, overcome them.
We must do that.
‘Work For Change’ by Robert Van Valkenburgh
HOLISTIC BUDO: As in Life, so too in Budo. As in Budo, so too in Life.
It may take an experience of great happiness in one area of our life to make us realize how unhappy we are in another.
Us humans, we are highly adaptable creatures.
We can get used to just about anything life throws at us when we have to and if we do it for long enough.
Over time, however, we lose perspective.
We grow accustomed to our circumstances and forget that there is more to life than what we are currently experiencing.
But all of that can change in an instant.
All it takes is one powerful, moving experience to wake us up from our slumber.
A single, profound experience can steer us out of our rut.
This experience may be painful or it may be joyous, but, regardless of the form it takes, it changes us.
We should never underestimate the power of moment.
‘A Moment Of Change’ by Robert Van Valkenburgh
HOLISTIC BUDO: As in Life, so too in Budo. As in Budo, so too in Life.
Meditations on God 