Forever and Ever, Amen.

Ah Man. Tonight was great. When we think about learning, we think about school teachers, we think about classrooms, we never think about life itself. We never consider our friends, our family, or anyone else as a teacher unless they have the title for it. I was speaking with one of my teachers, one of my younger older brothers who I have the honor to train with. I caught myself telling him that he wanted to get this "MMA stuff" out of the way before he had kids...

PAUSE

I realized how wrong I was the second I said it. See the issue is, last year, that was my thinking. Do this now before I have children. I didn't realize that this "MMA stuff" is not "Stuff" but a way of life. I began this journey thinking that it was just a "to-do." I saw myself doing it but I didn't understand that this is not just a "for-now" but it is a "for life." And the more I comprehend this, the more I accept it as a part of myself, and the more I see it translate into my life; the more I fall in love with it. It, not a "him." The truth is, my younger older brother is already a dad. I knew this. I've even met his son. I think the statement was meant to come out because I had not faced that old thought. Was/Is it a serious dream of mine to become an MMA fighter? Yes. But I can see why some of my loved ones had their reservations; I change my mind like I change my underwear. So somewhere inside of myself, I was still figuring out who I was, what kind of life I was looking forward to, and who was going to be in it. People make these choices everyday, in this aspect there is nothing special about me. But what is different is the acknowledgement of who I am, the life I am looking forward to, and who I will and will not allow in it. 

This is not a "for-now," this is forever.