The Road Less Travelled

Many times, I find that I don't always stack up to the competition that some people spend more time following their chosen course in life then I do; be it a martial arts tradition, military service or just setting safely behind a computer screen trolling away. I tend to be on the fringes and with good reason I travel the road less travelled.

 

Sometimes I get to go to out of the way places like the stream above. Where I sat meditating and practicing a kata on a large rock about 10 to 12 feet in diameter. Why did do meditate and practice forms? To perfect my martial arts skills or find enlightenment? God no... I was hiking and we stopped to do some fishing. I hate fishing so I decided to sit and enjoy nature, the harmony of the moment. The forms came as I needed to stretch a bit. Ultimately, I was so taken with the spot I snapped a picture on my phone.

 



Did the same to get this image of a farming village in South Korea, out exploring back roads through the mountains on foot.

Waterfalls I've climbed & cliffs I've dived from. Oh sure I have my enemies & I know they are many.

 Here is a picture of a couple of them now at the same water fall.

Here is a spot I enjoy, a mountain top overlooking the whole of Beckley WV at about 6:30 to 7am. At night its just as awesome overlooking a city lit up with lights, especially around Christmas. At 6 am to 7 am it looks like this...

And of course there are those off the wall moments like below. I was waiting on a friend to get off work at 2 am and was laying a bench. I ended up eating a slice of pizza with a homeless guy who thought I was homeless myself. Then me and my friend went to Donut connection after he got off work were I took this picture of a guy who said he was "on a date" with his blow up doll/girlfriend.

Life is a series of moments and find ourselves in places we do not always expect. We are born with two options in life; to follow the well worn path of fitting in and finding acceptance or to follow the path least travelled. To do the exceptional, to be the exception. Not, because of some external power source granting us anything special but because what is special is within us. This month Never Back Down comes out, and I focus on my court issues and the legal corruption. I'm not one to teach based on a tradition of do as someone else does but on the vast catalog of experience I have, having been a team leader & hand-to-hand combat instructor in the US Army, having fought in "underground tournaments" with gang members and criminals, having learned from a Hitman & had a Karate Instructor who was also an outlaw biker and mob enforcer.

I'm not the good guy, nor am I always cast as the villain. I follow the path least travelled because I don't know how to play it safe and be "normal." I don't need anything to tell me I am special or unique. God made all of us for a purpose, and mine is spent out on the fringes. Everything put before us is a test of our faith and while I have my moments of doubt my faith is strong because I've put it to the test. If I can do it so can anyone else, all it takes is the belief that you have everything you need within you because God put it there in you or in your life & the faith to follow the road less travelled. It is not always comfortable and often difficult.

The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.

-Friedrich Nietzsche