PeaceWalker Blog

I was out early this morning for my usual jog. It was chilly with a few fleeting flakes of snow blowing around. I took my usual winter route that takes me though Greenwood Cemetery on the Northwest side of Grand Rapids. It's an old cemetery that I have been coming to since I was a kid. There's a creepy old 19th century caretakers house up on the hill. It serves as an office now, but every morning I pass by it, I imagine how the caretaker used to live there in decades past. Today, when I slowly jogged past that old brick house and rounded the hill, I saw the yellow trucks and back hoe digging a new grave. The workers were still there working the equipment trenching the ground.  This isn't that unusual, it's a cemetery after all. So, as I passed by, I briefly acknowledged things and went on with my run, not thinking much more of it.  Last Sunday... I got a text from an old friend of mine letting me know that his uncle, that I knew quite well, had died. I've know my fr

Most of the clutter in my apartment comes in the form or papers, notes, books and magazines... Notes from all of the ideas I have. Plans, outlines, blueprints, you name it. I write it all down, it's how I put order to things in my head.  It's how I remember... Or should I say, that it's how I don't forget. When I let things go for a time w/o tiding up, the stacks start to accumulate into stacks of notes, papers and books. When I clean I go through each stack and sort out what is still relevant and what isn't... This is one of the reasons why it takes me so long to clean... It's because I scan each piece of paper to determine if it is useful or not! I know it sounds a little like the rain man mix w/a hoarder, but the extra effort is worth it. I discard what I no longer need and keep what is still relevant and useful... Or at least that's what I try to do. Truth be told, I know there are still a lot of things I could throw out that I can't quite bring myse

I was clicking through Instagram making sure that my pic posted, when I saw a sponsored ad... "Highlander's Adrian Paul's Sword Experience" It's a workshop that Adrian teaches on sword stage combat.  First off, just in case you don't know what the Highlander is  (tisk tisk tisk... shame on you if you don't!), here's the brief rundown: Highlander the series was based on the 1986 movie by the same name.  Star of the series actor Adrian Paul plays Duncan MacLeod (Cousin of the movie's protagonist, Connor MacLeod)  who is Immortal, and must live in modern society, concealing his true nature while fighting other Immortals. Taken from the film, Highlander, Duncan MacLeod, clansman of Connor in the film also finds he is being stalked by not only other immortals trying to kill him before the time of the gathering, but also a secret society of mortals who call themselves 'The Watchers' and also seem intent on killing him but "The Watchers"

And just like that... The day's about done!  I was catching up on all things PeaceWalker when I got a IM from a new subscriber. Brian's a vet just turning fifty. Sounded like he has his share of injuries.  We had a good conversation back and forth for a minute or two. It was good to connect with him. We got to 'know' one another because he liked our Ronin Krav Maga Facebook Page. When that happens, I try to thank everyone who liked the page and invite them to go through our Six Day Defense Home Study Course. Some, like Brian write back. Sometimes a conversation and connection comes out of it. Sometimes not.  In a world where we've automated and industrialized our relationships, it's good to know that there is a real person on the other side of your keyboard.  And this community, facebook page, these emails and yes, the private membership too are all run by me personally.  This isn't some corporation, agency, spammer or scammer... I'm a real person and th

  Last week I had one of our Private PeaceWalker members email me a philosophical question that many have asked before.  It's a question that I have chewed on quite a bit myself over the years. Important questions that many, like you and I, have given thought to. Here's the gist of his question: If we're all going to die, what's the purpose of life then?  What's the purpose of being a protector when in the end we're all going to die eventually? Hey Craig, Hope all is well. Been pondering lately. What is the purpose of protecting life when all life eventually dies? When the protector comes to the end and no one can protect him from his death of old age? What does it matter if one dies when one is young or when one is old? Gun shot wound to the head or never waking after crawling into a soft warm bed after a long/short life? Death still awaits!  If there is no eternal hope for death not being the end, then there should be no illusion of purpose… life is purpose. B