So You Say You Want a Revolution

From April 9, 1775 to September 3 1783 -- 8 years, 4 months, 2 weeks, and 1 day -- a rag-tag collection of Colonial American Patriots took up arms and fought against British oppressors to, ultimately, secure the sovereignty and freedom of the United States of America. 

I am calling for another Revolution against a foe no less dangerous, intractable and oppressive -- perhaps more so -- than the British of two centuries ago. 

We live in a culture which increasingly places profits above people; objectifies women in song, and reduces them to body parts on screen and in advertising; sells young girls on a standard of beauty that is not only unhealthy, but outright dangerous; in which bored thugs play the so-called "knockout game" for entertainment; in which elected officials routinely lie, cheat, and stick it to their constituents -- and in which voters have become so apathetic as to see this unethical behavior as merely the price of doing business. 

We live in a society that lifts overpaid, spoiled athletes and actors above teachers and healers; in which our racial and cultural differences are a source of division and divisiveness, rather than viewed with pride as a source of what makes this Nation great; in which we belittle others for being "this" or "that", instead of recognizing that "we" are all "One". 

     

I am not some starry-eyed, hippy, peace-freak, flower child ... I am simply a man, a father, a husband-to-be, a friend, a lifelong Martial Artist who is old enough and who has amassed enough life experience to recognize a fundamental problem in this world ... 

The problem: coldness. Callousness. A deep-seated lack of respect. For ourselves. For each other. For our world. I do not know how the world got to be this way or where, exactly, it went off the rails. I don't think anyone can point a finger at a single reason. 

I do know that there is a solution. 

A Kindness Revolution. 

This idea is neither new, nor original to me, but it is worthwhile. The more people who take up the challenge, the greater the effect. As a growing Martial Arts Studio, we are in a unique position to bring such a Revolution to fruition. 

 Instead of shouldering muskets like our forebears, our weapons will be awareness and compassion. Our duty, our mission, is to take this lesson out of the Dojo and into our community, to perform Acts of Kindness -- for our friends, families, neighbors, even (especially) strangers -- with no expectation of either thanks or payment. We do it simply because it is the right thing to do. Our fervent goal is that others witness our example, or benefit from our actions, and pay it forward. Like a pebble tossed into a still pool, our kind actions ripple outward, one act propelling another and another and another, each building on the previous until it becomes a tidal wave. 

The compassion of the individual becomes the compassion of the family ... becomes the compassion of the neighborhood ... becomes the compassion of the town or city ... becomes the compassion of the county ... state .... nation ... world. 

This is not a mere dream. All great movements begin with a thought, a belief that it can and must be accomplished. It must be given more than lip service or a token effort. It requires action and consistency. 

It is work, no doubt. But, as the saying goes, if it was easy, everyone would do it. Nonetheless, the movement need not start with some grand, sweeping gesture. Start small: anonymously pay for some one's coffee; mow some one's lawn; carry their groceries; wash their car; carry a classmate's books; shovel snow from a neighbor's walk; anything, really, that lightens the burden of another or otherwise brightens their day. 

Even one determined person, working alone, can make a huge difference. Imagine if one person -- you, perhaps -- performed just 3 Random Acts of Kindness per day ... that would be 21 per week ... 84 per month ... 1, 008 per year. And if we started at age 10 and lived an average of 83 years, that would be 73, 584 Random Acts of Kindness over the course of a single lifetime. 

What kind of effect would that have upon your school, job, community? 

What about a group of 100 people -- a Martial Arts Studio, for instance -- unified, doing the same thing? 300 Random Acts of Kindness per day ... 2,100 per week ... 8,400 per month ... 100, 800 per year ... and an ASTOUNDING 7, 358, 400 over the course of an average life. 

Envision the kind of world that would be!!

These numbers are definitely achievable!! 

I, for one, am tired of living in a cold, uncaring, often cruel world. But rather than sit back and complain, I am committed to fighting back with Kindness. 

I would like to invite you, my students, adults and kids alike, to join me; after all, the ultimate aim of the Martial Arts is the perfection of one's character. 

By requiring Acts of Kindness for progression through the ranks, it is my sincere hope and desire that we develop Kindness as a habit. Our tiny Studio can become the catalyst for a massive groundswell of local positivity. 

People may not remember the things you say or even the things you do, but they will always remember how you made them feel. At the end of the day, a legacy of Kindness, my friends, changes lives, and that is a great thing indeed.