Movies can be a big deal for kids. They shape the way we think. Our interests, our loves and our deepest desires. Sometimes even our fears. I was afraid of getting bullied. I’m pretty sure it gave me the anxiety disorder I’ve suffered with my whole adult life.
I couldn’t sleep at night. I was afraid to go to school everyday. I was going to be teased and then beat up. I became a very proficient victim. I always looked forward to coming home. That’s where the men who conquered their foes lived. I had no one to protect me but the action heroes who lived on my VHS tapes.
I would fantasize that I was Jean-Claude Van Damme and his opponents would be the kids at school that picked on me. I would watch these films endlessly, over and over again. It would give me reprieve, sometimes even hope that I could stand up for myself.
Then one day I saw a movie called The Perfect Weapon and I fell in love with Martial Arts. I then had a moment of Sentori. 悟り is what Zen Buddhists describe as “sudden enlightenment”.
If I studied Martial Arts I could defend myself. Maybe even fight back. It was the first realization I had that gave me power. I was making a decision and setting my heart on something. It sent me on a spiritual path that would continue and evolve even till this day. I had purpose and confidence.
All because of a stupid Martial Arts/Revenge Thriller. It wasn’t stupid to me though. It made sense and it lit a fire that burns in me even brighter than I could have ever imagined.
Movies matter. Heroes matter. I can never repay Master Jeff Speakman for opening the door to the world of Martial Science. What we do as Martial Artists isn’t magic but it might as well be.
The real magic is in the films that capture the imagination of us as children. Sometimes they can even save a life. The Perfect Weapon saved mine.
Sign up to get updates from us
