With now having time to reflect on the humbling experience of Pans for the second time, lots of things come to mind: the build-up to those five minutes on that tatame, the work that went into it, the team, the energy. The whole thing has put life in perspective for me when I needed it most.
Last year, I didn’t have the experience, going into something that was bigger than me, a tralatitious event that has roots anchored throughout the entire globe can make even the strongest minds bemused. But this year, it was something no words can describe. It was almost calming. Like a wave of confidence and excitement rather than nerves and hesitation.
My short five minutes under the big lights did not allow me to show what I know I am fully capable of doing on those mats, and that is okay because the art is not defined by one match or a person's record. It is defined by how one carries oneself. on and off the mats. It is defined by one’s ability to simply have the belief in their own mind and, in my case, their body. Believing you can do something is the first step. After that, it’s the discipline and commitment that determine what you contribute.
From the screaming our heads off supporting fellow teammates to the nightly jacuzzi talks, the sweat left behind by each and every one of us. The team at Walter’s achieved greatness. We don’t need medals to win; you need a team that stands with you in the most vulnerable moments of your life. A team that accepts every ounce of who you are as a person. With that, there isn’t an opponent either physically or in our minds that we should fear.
The greatest seed one could cultivate in life is stepping on a tatame, with time, that oak will grow.
OSS!
Peyton.
“The art of Jiu-Jitsu is worth more in every way than all of our athletics combined.” - President Theodore Roosevelt.
