Recently I was in Torrance, California, for the GSBA National Stick Fighting Tournament. Seeking to sidestep the clash and clamor of the competition for a moment, I slipped outside the gym to collect my thoughts. Imagine my surprise when I discovered this lovely Japanese garden, beckoning me with its tranquility.
Only a moment before, the intensity of competition had defined my experience. Coaches shouted instructions, onlookers cheered, teammates yelled in encouragement or dismay, and the anticipation and tension of waiting to compete collided in a cacophony of nerve wracking tumult.
Now, a few short steps away, I had found a blissful retreat. A chance to regain my focus. To breathe. I was able to experience the present moment and with it my presence of mind.
That experience reminds me that no matter the pressures I experience daily, peace of mind is but a sidestep away. If only for a moment, I was able to disengage from the drama, seek my inner quiet, and listen to the voice that says, “All will be well.”
I returned to the competition and earned two silver medals and a spot on the US Nationals Team, competing in Italy in 2014. I’m happy with that outcome, but happier still with my inner victory. As Lao Tzu says, “Mastering others is strength. But to master oneself, that is true power.”