Confidence or arrogance?

So my training (or recent lack of) took on a more serious note recently and I had a lucky escape. I had the poor misfortune of being forced to use my training in a real situation. I will spare you the details, but it did leave me shaken, although thankfully in one piece. My two assailants also escaped relatively unharmed, a bit dazed and confused, a couple of very bruised egos but no broken bones, which is a good thing. 

There is a cautionary tale hidden in here somewhere. The whole episode was pointless, and need not have happened. It could also have quite easily got out of hand, and either I could have been hurt, or one or both of my assailants could have been injured. Instead of bruised egos we could have been talking about broken bones with someone stood in front of a judge, all because of a dispute over right of way on a footpath. Perhaps it was my fault. Perhaps instead of taking my dog back to the car, then returning and questioning the two as to why they felt the need to behave so antisocially I should have just shrugged it off and driven home. Then again perhaps my actions will lead them to think twice before they throw their weight around again. Maybe not.

The danger is this: Martial arts, whatever the discipline, tends to instil in it’s students a confidence and a a certain level of arrogance. Whilst this can be a good thing, it can also lead to those students actually putting themselves in positions where they have to test their ability in real life situations. Perhaps we should reflect on this and to paraphrase Mr Myagi realise that we learn a martial art so that we don’t have to fight.

Then again part of me actually enjoyed it.

Perhaps I am getting the hang of ‘fire’ now :)