Our BJJ Web and Owning our Thread
Each of us is a part of an unbroken web of teammates past, present and future. We’ve all been helped by so many, directly or indirectly, nameless or famous. In return, we give help and inspiration to others.
Inhale as student. Exhale as teacher.
Those that come before or after us, our own children and the younger versions of ourselves, our friends or strangers that watch our story inside or outside the academy. Our stories, put on top of all that came before us, work to serve those around us, and those after us. No matter where we are on our journey, there is always someone watching, looking for our example and our strength. If we’re struggling to find that “get off our ass and go” motivation, we can lean on this.
Brazilian Jiujitsu is a team sport without a doubt. Knowing this helps lessen the “woe is me” when it burns, as it transitions to “woe is “we””.
How is the way we’re handling our personal journey affecting those in our tribal one?
How would our ancestors before us watch our harvest of their work?
What precedent and example are we setting for our descendants on and off the mats?
Who’s watching and relying on us now?
Let’s play our part, accept our shield and learn from our teammates, be the example and lead the way. Start with our own micro decisions to navigate our own personal obstacles and make sh!t happen, and share in the victories and lessons learned. Not over the year, but today in this moment.
We’re never alone in our BJJ (or life) struggles. Someone has had or will have our struggle. Many are living it next to us in the here and now, in the academy, in our last roll and in our next. How we navigate our injuries and fatigue, fears and aspirations, scheduling conflicts and family struggles, fads and the seasons, motivations and excuses. We are a thread in the web, but we own that thread.
Let’s embrace our interconnectedness, and play our role within it’s beauty.