Playwright Edward Albee, in one of his best works, The Zoo Story, says through his character, Jerry, Sometimes it takes you a long distance out of your way, to come back a short distance, correctly.

No kidding!

Hundreds of times since I read, acted in, and directed that play, Ive come back to ponder the wisdom in these words.

Recently, Ive been reflecting on my eight-year journey to achieving the rank, Shodan, Black Belt, in Kenpo Karate. Am I different than I was in the beginning of this quest?

Im not sure I can say I am; and Im okay with that, if its true.

I studied Eastern philosophy and Zen since I was a teenager, decades ago, and I thought I had arrived at certain core insights regarding myself, and the universe.

Time and experience would shake these beliefs, and make me seek greater certitude, enhanced self-confidence, and most important, a bulwark against fear. So, I started karate training.

Now, I can see with real clarity, that I dont have to fear a physical attack of any kind. Im 6-2, and about 200 pounds, and people like me just arent picked on, at least, physically.

I didnt feel that before; but now, I know its true.

So, do I need to be the efficient killer that Ive learned to be?

Of course, not, and as the Tao, a great book of wisdom, says, I know it would be the greatest misfortune to have an enemy, that forced me into a violent response.

A popular, and often cited Zen verse says, before you study Zen a cup of tea is just thata cup of tea. During your study, it is something more complicated, but at the end of your journey, it is just a cup of tea, once more.

Perhaps, thats what Albee meant.

Anyway, I encourage you to study martial arts, but appreciate this: If you do it right, youll go way beyond fighting and even come to see it as repugnant, because a true karate or kindred art, is one without violence.