Happiness is finding old friends …

and seeing just how successful they have been in the years you’ve missed.

I once had quite a good friend that I met through martial arts. We shared a lot of ideas, and I consulted on a system that he was developing at the time, and then he just disappeared. He closed his account on Facebook, his mobile number didn’t work and that was that.

Yesterday however, he came to mind due to conversations I was having with another friend, and I mentioned that this old friend had once been a wood turner, and would be able to supply us with walking sticks that we could also use as training aids.

I stalked booked his wife, contacted her, got his number, we had a chat, and then today, whilst driving home from Dudley, I stopped off to have a chat with him and see his new martial arts dojo. God property is cheap in the Midlands. I mean, SERIOUSLY cheap.

However, it was great to hear that he now has around 250 students, a full-time dojo, an amicable divorce (it was the right thing and good to hear that it was amicable, as so many aren’t) and is living a life that he’s happy with. Which is all that you can ask for really.

Hopefully this is the sign of things to come. He’s going to do my walking sticks, he wants to sell more of my books (Practical Taekwondo that is), and even said that he’d like me up to do some seminars/teaching once I’m a little bit more healthy.

Needless to say, I got the twitches when I was there and found out that even after spending nearly 7 hours in car and sat down in presentation, I still kick above my head with power and no groin strain. Not bad for a fat, balding, short-sighted 41 year old.