He was a firearms and defensive tactics instructor as well as serving on our tactical team. By most standards he was a solid cop in the field and on the street. Yet I had no idea that chicken wings were his weakness.
We both enjoyed riding motorcycles. So when our days off lined up we would hit the open road.
It gave me a chuckle whenever we would stop for a bite to eat. This grown man had a way of eating chicken wings that left smeared buffalo sauce across his face and had him looking like the Joker in The Dark Knight.
The first time I saw this it was funny and I had to watch with curiosity the next time we went out, same sticky results. This guy loved his chicken wings!
He would order them pretty much wherever we went on our afternoon rides and had no interest in dry rub. It was always the bright orange spicy sauce that had him go face down, with both hands tearing apart the yard bird, as soon as the tray was served and he wouldn’t look up until they were all gone.
I would watch with amazement as he devoured those wings with the sticky sauce all over his face and fingers, bewildered by how engrossed he became. It was almost like the chicken wings put him in a trance.
As a cop, soldier, and martial artist there’s a lesson here on readiness.
One day, while he was wiping off with a napkin, I asked what he would do if someone busted through the door and started shooting up the place.
He gave me a puzzled look and despite the orange grin from the buffalo sauce smeared across his face I could see the smile drain away. He managed a nervous laugh and said he was glad I had his back. We left it at that.
It’s a sad reality of our times that many cops have died from hostile action while sitting in restaurants, both on and off duty.
For example:
- Two in Florida, shot through a window while eating at a Chinese restaurant:
- Four in Washington, killed in a coffee shop while working on their laptops:
So, if you’ve got sticky chicken wing grease on both your hands, how will you be able to draw your weapon should the need arise?
For years, I even avoided eating chicken wings because a) I never liked fighting with my food and b) as a warrior I feel it’s my duty to always remain responsible (meaning, response-able) to defend others.
Martial art needs to be something more than mere self-defense. Martial training is everyone’s obligation to contribute to a more secure, and just, society. That’s why a well-regulated militia, composed of the whole body of the people, trained to arms, is necessary to the security of a free state.
The absence of these “necessary” governmental institutions is a key indicator as to why there is increasing injustice and civil strife, but that’s a topic for another time.
The point here is to not instill paranoia but to practice mindfulness. Being ever mindful of my duty to uphold justice and defend against threats keeps me centered in the present moment. It also becomes a highly satisfying practice of making minor adjustments to the way I do things in order to maintain readiness…or, at the very least, knowingly assume the risk involved when choosing to do something that increases my vulnerability.
We can never eliminate risk and, in fact, taking risks is where the biggest gains and best satisfaction in life comes from. That’s what every entrepreneur knows and there is a way to get comfortable with risk.
This too is a mindfulness practice on the journey of self-discovery and self-ownership.
Overcoming challenges in this way becomes a game. How can I take risks and minimize vulnerabilities? Deliberately and consciously looking for ways to live this way keeps the mind sharp.
I’ve even learned how to eat chicken wings, drumsticks are easier of course, with just my non-dominant hand. This way I can employ defensive tools even while enjoying life’s little delightful culinary indulgences.
It is possible for you to have security and an abundant life. You can take risks while minimizing vulnerability. From this position of strength you can contribute to the well-being of others, even by providing a positive example for others to follow.
It all begins with mindfulness. A consistent mindfulness practice is the one tool that contributes to success in every other area of life, including prevailing in martial combat.
The discipline of mindfulness doesn’t have to be hard. Just like learning to chicken wings while keeping your weapon hand dry, you can find ways to practice mindfulness that fits your lifestyle.
That is why I recommend the Zen12 meditation program.
Zen12 delivers the benefits of monk-like mindfulness with the push of a button. In as little as twelve minutes you can get supercharged results, leading to greater clarity of mind, inner peace, higher mental faculties, and, most of all, situational awareness.
So, check out Zen12 today, and see how you can master your mind and your life:
P.S: Zen12 will help you get exponential results, starting with an hour’s worth of high quality, deep meditation in as little as twelve minutes. While shooting incidents and violent encounters are certainly dangerous, the real threat to modern warriors is stress. Meditation has been scientifically proven to dissolve stress, worry, and anxiety, thereby elevating your mood and increasing resilience. Who doesn’t need more of that?
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