True to the Core

I learned how to box a little bit in college. I'm not sure I ever told anyone that before and I am not sure even my roommates knew that either, at the time. But sometimes I'd just put my hood up and disappear to this tiny little gym with punching bags and quiet people doing work with their gloves on and heads down. I don't think many who knew me would put it past me though. I've always been a bit "different"- running home from a bar I really didn't want to be at on a Friday or Saturday night; or secretly pouring out a drink that someone bought me because, at the time, I was more worried about fitting in and doing what I thought was polite than having the courage to say "No. But thank you." Somethings never change. And somethings certainly do. But back then, I never asked what those quiet people in the boxing gym were training for- maybe for nothing. Maybe for everything. Maybe for anything.

Today I heard a story about a 77 year old man who boxed and defended himself from someone trying to rob him in a dark parking lot. I thought it was incredible and inspiring. He reminded me how powerful it is to at least try to be prepared for the unknown. For everything. For anything. Whether we are unexpectedly hit with a phone call with tough news; a punch out of nowhere in the gut and across the face; or coming up short and falling when we buckled down and confidently gave something our very best shot. Whatever it is, my gosh, I hope I can be as ready as that 77 year old man was to punch right back at whatever might be trying to knock me down. I hope I can be like those quiet people in that small boxing gym I admired with their heads down and gloves on working hard. Now, I know they were never training for nothing.