Get On Purpose! Part 2

Self Development!

I joined the USMC in August of 2005, embarking on one of the hardest journeys of my life. I'd say the only thing worst was going through divorce... more on that later...

In the Marine Corps, I found great purpose in the arts of Kung Fu and Tai Chi Chuan. It is commonly known that in the Corps they tend to give you a lot of tough love if you're different than the other Marines. My Kung Fu and Tai Chi practice was something that, in a way, distanced me from other marines. Regardless of the tensions and ridicule I practiced daily without fail.

​My comrades in Afghanistan and Iraq can attest to my daily practice sessions. I remember very clearly how my SSgt used to sit down every day at the start of my practice to crack jokes and laughingly 'motivate' me through it with various taunts and funny gestures. One time even saying it's like his "daily TV show". Random marines passing by would assist with various Bruce Lee-esk 'yaaaaow's and 'HA-CHA's! At times others would throw punches or kicks just out of distance. In the corps we have fun ways of motivating each other.

Regardless of outside resistances, I felt some good changes in my body. After taking off my gear from a patrol or standing post, I'd knock out some Arm Snakes. Many times I'd feel my spine correcting itself in the rotations. Other times practice of the Tai Chi form would ease my knee pain or ankle instabilities. This was just the beginning of revelations I would have in my practice.

One day when I was practicing my Temple Stances and Dragon Walks in the sands of Afghanistan it dawned on me, If I feel these amazing benefits, others could too! Furthermore, if I could find a way to help others through my Kung Fu practice I would have a career which I would enjoy for the rest of my life!

When I returned from Afghanistan the search was on! How can I help others through Kung Fu??? Oriental Medicine was my first answer. I started looking into various colleges and landed on Pacific College of Oriental Medicine. The only reason I landed on PCOM is that it offered an undergraduate program (associates degree) for Oriental Massage.

So after getting out of the USMC and staying in OH for a couple of months I packed my bags and went off to PCOM in Chicago... My girlfriend, at the time, moved in with me shortly after and I started my journey to becoming a family man and massage therapist.

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part 3