The Christmas season always reminds me of a patient I had at a nursing home some years ago; let’s call him, Sam. He was a vibrant 80-year-old, “full of vim and vigor” as the saying goes. Sam had just had a total knee replacement, probably the worst as far as joint replacements go because it really is painful. But Sam had a lot going for him. For instance, he had three lovely daughters who each took turns sleeping in his room with him at night on a shabby little cot to make sure he had everything he needed. Family and friends were with hm every day to keep his spirits up and keep him company. But if I had to describe Sam in one word, it would be tenacity. A lot of people hate, and I mean hate physical therapy for the first two or three weeks after knee surgery and getting folks to participate is like trying to squeeze water out of a rock. But Sam was different; he welcomed the opportunity to get out of his room and get moving. What’s more, he was always in a good mood even though I’m sure he was in some serious pain.
All of that took place in July. Sam went home after a week and a half, then came back to work with me for his out-patient therapy. Same resilience, same willingness to do the work. He graduated from therapy in September, and in December of the same year, a very well-dressed (tailored suit kind of well-dressed), dapper man strode into to our little therapy department, a red carnation tucked neatly in his left breast pocket. He showed up with enough pizza for the entire staff of the nursing home — a gift of thanks for being treated so well. And I didn’t know until that moment who Sam was. Out of respect for his privacy, let’s just say that he was a very prominent business man and obviously very successful. And the key to his success in business and life was the word I used before: tenacity.
One thing I’ve learned during my career in therapy as well as decades in martial arts is the value of tenacity. I don’t believe it’s a natural occurrence; I think it’s a skill, something that has to be developed over time through sacrifice, pain and patience. Working with strength training clients as well as many of our students, there’s one thing I know for sure and that is, most of the time, you’ve always got “one more in the tank.” One more rep, one more kick, one more round. Your body is an incredible machine, despite whatever chronic injuries or the number of years and miles on you. More often than not, we have much more physical capacity than we allow ourselves to realize. That’s because of this anything think called “the wall.” Built by years of disappointment, lack of confidence and some times, laziness, this self-constructed barrier is initially raised as a means of protection but becomes a prison. A self-induced incarceration of the mind, perhaps the soul that keeps us from realizing our true capabilities.
And the wall isn’t just a physical barrier; it’s also an emotional one. Some of us have been hurt in the past, hurt by other people, relationships, death of a loved one, maybe. Perhaps a less than stellar high school experience made us think twice about college because we weren’t smart enough. Wall. Maybe you gave yourself mind, body and spirit to someone and they destroyed your trust. Wall. Perhaps you were at the peak of your physical prowess and something happened that took you out of the most important game of your life. Wall. “I’m not smart enough for college.” “I’m not skilled enough for that position.” “I’m not strong enough to get through the pain of rehabbing my body.” “I’m not brave enough to trust anybody again.” On the surface, the protective barrier does the trick. But over time, the more we seek shelter from the things that scare us about ourselves, the higher the wall gets and the harder it is to climb. But I have news for you; you don’t have to do this alone.
There are amazing people out there who have all kinds of methods for getting you over the wall. Some may throw you rope and help you climb; others may simply guide you around the wall simply because of a different perspective. And then there are those who can give you the strength and courage to just bust through it. I’ve been fortunate to have had people in my life who did all three for me. And believe me, I can build a pretty sturdy wall. But I’ve had some pretty excellent teachers, a couple of awesome coaches and mentors and most of all, people who have loved me over, around and through the barriers I’ve carefully constructed. People who have and continue to convince me that I have one more left in the tank.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20. Like so many aspects of scripture, God gets to the heart of the matter but presents us with a choice. Jesus stands at the door, but we have open it. If you struggle with faith, faith in God, faith in yourself, maybe you need to speak to your construction crew. Tell them to go home for the day. And while they’re gone, start tearing that sucker down. It won’t be easy and won’t be quick, but you can do it. You’ve always got one left in the tank.
Dave Magliano
Tatsu Dojo
Jissenkan Budo
Dojo Cho
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