What Kung Fu Has Done For Me?

    The question I have been asked is What Kung Fu Has Done For Me? This a huge question.

    So first I guess I should start with a little diddy about who I am and how I got to this point in my life.

   Let’s start with the Who part. I am Donald Robert Bjorkquist, born May 1 1970 in Edmonton,  I lived a majority of my pre-adult years in St Albert. I then jumped around from place to place for a bit then finally settled out in Spruce Grove in 2003. I Married a wonderful woman name Deb in 2005, and had a beautiful boy named Kody. Then when Kody was about to turn 3, well, that is where my journey into Kung Fu truly began to take shape. 

   First some back story...

   I grew up in St Albert in the 1970's and 80's, and at that time there was no real martial arts schools to speak of out there. All I knew about the martial arts was what I learned from TV and movies. And even that was limited to a  Bruce Lee movie here, a David Carridine Kung Fu episode there, but little did I know at the time but the seeds of an idea had been planted by these shows. See as a kid I was never really athletic, being asthmatic and all, so organized sports were not my thing. I dabbled in baseball, skied a little, skated a bit, nothing to write home about. But there was always something at the back of my mind, an itch, a shadow, a dim light drawing me to it. Something I needed to do.

   Fast forward a bit to 1999, now I'm in my late 20's, not really going anywhere with my life, no real purpose, just floating from one day to the next. Out of the blue one day on a whim, I decide to start going to a gym on the west end. It was alright, met some cool folks, learned a little bit about myself physically, but something was still missing. In walks a lady name Wolfe, yes Wolfe. She ran the Muay Tai kickboxing class and was looking for new students and asks me if I want to give it a try. Sure, why not, sounds like fun. Well, guess what, I got my butt handed to me on a daily basis by the other more experienced students. These people were hard core, I was in way over my head, it was eye opener! It knocked my ego down a few dozen notches, something I sorely needed at that time with me being a late 20's knucklehead and all. But now the seed of a direction were starting to grow. Unfortunately the gym went bankrupt and Wolfe had to shut down her classes, so that was the end of me getting pummeled and beaten up for fun. Or so I thought. 

   You see, as soon as I stopped going to Wolfe's classes, I knew something important was now missing from my life, and this started a search to fill this new void that had appeared because I did not want to loose the wonderful feeling of accomplishment that I had just spent the last year and a bit building on. 

   A short time later, in walks a workmate of mine, Sandor, our body shop manger (ironic name eh- Sandor the sander, anyways), we strike up a conversation, the martial arts being the topic, and he proceeds to tell me about a little school he goes to, and it is right next door to my work, bonus! I'm gonna give it a try, sure why not, sounds like a good fit for what I am looking for. Well, swing and a miss. It was a hybrid style of several martial arts, Tae Kwon do, Karate, Jeet Kwon doe (that's Bruce Lee's style), Judo, and a military style calisthenics. It was a lot to take in, and I mean a lot. An you didn't ease into it, you plunged in, sink or swim, I did not do well, it was too much, too fast. I got frustrated and lost interest, I was done, I quit. But I was not done done, I knew the answer was out there somewhere, I just didn't know where, yet. 

   Enter my soon to be wife Deb and her two children Kyle and Kaitlyn in 2001, followed shortly after by my son Kody in 2005. I now saw that the ground on my path was starting to take shape, my path was starting to becoming clear, but that void was still in my way. The only way I could see for me to fill this void was to ensure the success of these beacons of light that had come into in my life. That started me on a frantic search for a martial art school for Kody because I wanted him to grow up with a sense of purpose and security, never having to worry about the bullies of the world, as well as giving him the confidence to succeed in life on his own merits. And then I found it. It was right here all along. Silent River Kung Fu.

   All it took was one, just one single meeting with Sifu Jeff Brinker and I was sold. This is it. This is what I have been gravitating to for what felt like forever. It was like a focusing of my mind, it was a channeling of my soul, it was a hand guiding me through the void, my path now had a place for me to take my first step on a lifelong journey. I cannot understate the relief I felt when I was found by this school, because yes I truly believe that Silent River found me, not the other way around. Silent River Kung Fu basically quietly stood up in front of me and said "We see you, stop wasting your time searching blindly for truth and get in here, we will show you the way". I listened, and the rest is history.

   Sure it took a few years for Deb and I to start actively taking lessons, March 1,2014 to be exact, and by that time Kody had already been in Kung Fu for quite a bit. Of course we wanted to start earlier, but life was in our way, with busy schedules and all, you know, work, family, all the standard excuses. That's my bad, hindsight is 20/20 they say, oh that is so true. We really should have started right then and there with Kody, but I don't have time machine so say la vei.

   So Kody had now been in Kung Fu for almost 6 years and it is now my (our) turn to jump into Kung Fu with both feet. I can still remember my first class like it was yesterday, stations. For those of you who don't know what that is, its simple. You have a circuit of timed stations, push ups, sit ups, kicks, jump rope and more. Good stuff right?! But wait, this was different than before, I was actually enjoying this. It took me a bit to realize why.  Then I saw it. It was the people! Everywhere I looked, people were smiling, pushing themselves without being pushed. Actually trying to do the set they where doing as hard has you could, and enjoying it!. It reaffirmed what I had suspected all along, that this was it. This was where my family and I were meant to be. 

   Over the past almost 9 years of learning Kung Fu here at Silent River, so many things have happened in my life. While my job and family has mostly stayed the same, my perception of the world around me has changed dramatically. So now back to answer the question I have been asked,  what Kung Fu has done for me.

    Kung Fu has allowed me to have the confidence to feel like I can, and will, make a difference on this beautiful blue marble we call home. Kung Fu has given me something that I didn't really understand before, hope. Hope for the future, hope for the now, just plain old fashioned priceless hope. It has also given me an understanding of empathy towards other and myself, letting me see more than just my side of a story. It has added years to me life, if not in time then definitely in quality. It has taken the void that I felt I had and filled it with so much love and caring, confidence and clarity, compassion and energy, it has become a path that I intend to follow for my lifetime. I see no end to my learning, to my growth, to my path. Kung Fu has become a lifelong companion of mine, sharing both my triumphs and failures, encouraging me to strive for mastery in my life.

   As I wrap this up, because I really could go on and on,  I must make some acknowledgements and some well deserved thank yous.

My Family. My wife, my kids, my parents, you are my bedrock, my foundation, without you I have nothing. With you, I have everything, I love you. Thank you for being with me on this journey.

Friends. You know who you are, you know I love you all, peace to you.

Classmates both past and present, you have pounded on me like soft spongee clay, molding me into what I am today, we have bled together, we have sweat together, I think there was even some tears in there too, thank you for every bruise and bump, I wear them with pride and honor.

Sifus, Sehings and Sedias, You are the architects, you are the masters, you are our lineage, you are reason I am learning to be the best me I can be, thank you for trusting me and allowing me to earn my black belt, thank you for everything you do.

A very special shout out to Todai Nigel Bauer, I honestly couldn't have done this without you or your monumental patience, guidance and sacrifice. You sir, are simply great, no other word can describe you, thank you.

And I left this till last because I may not make it through it, To my Dad, I wish you were still here with us celebrating this, I miss you every day. Love your son.

Thank you for listening.