What if you could give someone a gift that would keep on giving? What if you found a gift that would remain with the recipient for life? What if you found a gift that could itself be the 'gift of life'?
Krav Maga is such a gift.
The world is a beautiful place, but, let's face it, there is violence everywhere. We prefer not to talk about it, but facts are a stubborn thing, and will not go away. I taught at a college campus where just a month earlier a student was shot in the head and died on the spot. Nonetheless many students left the Krav Maga self defense seminar early because they had 'important things to do.' I have been to college campuses where the police artist sketches of recent rapists were still posted on the walls, yet very few women bothered to attend a free self defense seminar.
The human condition; a very strange affair. As Professor Cohen says, "When it comes to self defense we are our own worst enemies."
Often, as birthdays and holidays come around people wonder 'What can I buy my daughter, or friend?' It is hard to buy something for someone who already has everything; the latest video game or gadget. What can you buy them? The gift of life, self confidence, self preservation, Krav Maga.
My first teacher at the Oyama Kyokushin Karate school was Sensei Romero, he was 26 years old at the time and had been training since the age of six. 'How did you get started?" I once asked him. "I received my first memberships as a Christmas present."
What a brilliant idea! Some wise person gave this six year a karate membership as a Christmas present, twenty years later he was still training, and teaching others. I personally owe him a debt of gratitude for inspiring me to train hard. Even today I remember his inspirational words.
I look around and I see women and girls abused, raped, humiliated, yet so few take the step of signing up for self defense or Krav Maga classes. I am told one in four women who attend college will report a rape or attempted rape by the time they graduate, many such cases go unreported, thus the actual figure must be considerably higher. Men and boys suffer violence and humiliation as well, yet few find the time or motivation to act.
I often think; what can I do? How can I make a difference? How can I reach people with this message? One answer is – give gifts, give someone a month membership as a gift. What the heck, they will say, it is already paid for, I might as well go. You may have just saved someone's life.