Eddie was not in the popular crowd. As far as he knew he was not in the popular universe. Everyone else at this party seemed not only taller than him, they were also drunker than him.
About the time things seemed to be getting weirder, he’d decided to leave. Eddie heard a shout from across the room,“Little Eddie! Where are you going?”
Eddie turned just in time to see Ken approaching quickly to head him off. Eddie stopped in his tracks. After Ken had made the football team, and Eddie hadn’t, Ken had stopped being any kind of friend, and had made fun of Eddie’s wrestling just about every time they met. Even after Eddie had won his weight class at State, it was always the same insults about wresting around with a bunch of sweaty guys on a sweaty mat.
Eddie RESPONDED, “Just headed home. Got early church tomorrow man.” Ken’s slurred speech gave his drunkenness away, “You can pray tomorrow, but you ain’t going nowhere tonight.” Eddie RESPONDED, “Sorry to disappoint you. Gotta go.” Just then Ken launched himself at Eddie’s midsection in a full tackle.
Eddie RESPONDED immediately by dropping into a standing sprawl, controlling any tackle from occurring by keeping Ken’s hands and arms at bay. However Ken was bigger and continued to push. Eddie knew he’s have to move Ken around and control his ability to push him over.
Eddie dropped his head and pushed the hard part of his skull as if he had horns into Ken’s eye socket, temple and nose. “Ouch!” Ken said, and released rubbing his bloody nose and blackening eye. Dropping his hands to his knees and breathing hard. Ken spat out.“We’ll go then you little…!”
Eddie tapped Ken on the shoulder, “Sleep it off my friend. I’ll tell Reverend Mike you said, hey.” Ken went home soon after, and did sleep it off. Eddie called to see how he was doing after church the next day, and Ken apologized. From that day they were back to being friends.
Eddie thought many times over their lifetime about that night, and how grateful he was for his RESPONSE. Both Ken and Eddie never made college teams, however, their years of friendship were long, and their children’s children grew up like family together for holidays, blessings, baptisms and weddings.
Eddie’s RESPONSE in self-defense changed his life forever. Eddie could have easily taken Ken out, however, he didn’t.
We all have the ability to create our world in each RESPONSE we have each and every day. Remember it’s not what happens to us that makes the difference, it’s how we RESPOND that creates our future.
Life is full of conflict. In fact everything in life has an element of conflict. How will you RESPOND? Because how you RESPOND is what you will create in your next conflict, and life. RESPOND…
Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach
#lifedefense #respond #allenhughes
