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Where_There_Is_Preparation_Calligraphy_220x395 — Handstitched Replica of Caligraphy By Jo Ann Easley
01/01/1942 – 10/27/2007

On the front wall of my Instructor's dojang hung an oriental cloth inscribed with calligraphy that translated,

“Where there is preparation there is no fear.”

Throughout the years I have pondered the meaning of these ancient words; every year bringing deeper understanding of how they apply to one's life.

This year, I have realized that preparation applies not only in being ready to defend one's life, but also in being ready to end one's life.

If we can accept the fact that someday our life will end and that it doesn't matter how or when, but only that we are ready when death approaches, then we can lead a fuller existence and never worry about dying, whether in a battle or a hospital bed.

In our youth we seldom think of dying and throughout life human nature causes us to avoid thoughts of death as long as we are healthy. A severe illness often brings about our first realization that we will not live forever and this is a very bad time to try and understand death as our mind may become fogged with the fear of dying and the battle could be lost sooner than is necessary.

In the prime of life and at the peak of health meditating seriously upon all aspects of death and dying may evoke humility and help us prepare for the day when death must be faced as an opponent. Death will inevitably defeat us, but as a martial artist, we can fight without fear and die with honor because during our training we prepared ourselves mentally, physically and spiritually for battle, no matter who the opponent is and

“Where there is preparation, there is no fear.”

Phil Duncan
1983

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Bullying has reached epidemic proportions in today's society and while some schools, workplaces and governments are taking measures and attempting to curtail bullying, the sad reality is that bullying may often occur when there is no authority figure present to stop it and it may occur when and where there may be no witnesses to corroborate that it even occurred.

Bullying incidents are further exacerbated by bystanders who witness a bullying incident and take no action to intervene or help diffuse the situation and thus they become complicit in the bullying behavior through their inaction.

The unfortunate reality is that a child or an adult who is targeted by a bully may be the only person who can stop it and they often must face their antagonizer(s) alone and without help.

Even when the target of bullying summons the courage to stand up to a bully, they still need to possess the skills necessary to effectively deal with a bully.

Non violent conflict resolution skills may work in some cases to diffuse a bullying encounter; however, those skills may not work in others situations.

The better prepared one is to face a bully on whatever terms the bully brings to the confrontation, then the better one is equipped to bring a swift and favorable end to a bullying encounter.

Further compounding the challenges for those being bullied is the unfortunate reality that in some instances when a person who is being bullied takes necessary actions to stop the bullying, then the victim may be subject to the same punishment as the bully.

Schools, workplaces and public places may expel, suspend or arrest all parties involved in certain incidents. In some cases conceptually flawed and ineffective “zero tolerance” policies merely allow entities enforcing such policies to avoid analyzing the events that transpired leading up to the incident and by punishing all involved they avoid admitting what really happened on their watch and/or they avoid dealing with the underlying events that resulted in the incident. In the end the victim may be bullied AND get punished for taking action to stop it. What is wrong with this picture?

With proper training and preparation no one need suffer the actions of bullies and/or the ineptness or inaction of overseers or indifferent bystanders. Where there is preparation there is no fear.

Moo Duk Kwan® martial art schools certified by the nonprofit United States Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation® teach the Soo Bahk Do® martial art system with an emphasis on developing personal safety awareness and skills to avoid conflict whenever possible and the skills necessary to prevail in a conflict when avoidance is not possible.

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