The Arts Highest Form

The Arts Highest Form

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There was once a very famous Aikido player in Japan who had spent his whole life studying Usheba's legendary art. Although he had dedicated his whole existence to this beautiful art he'd never actually had occasion to test it in a real-life situation against a determined attacker, someone intent on hurting him. Being a moralistic kind of person he realised that it would be bad karma to actually go out and pick a fight just to test his art, so he was forced to wait until a suitable occasion presented itself. Naively, he longed for the day when he was attacked so that he could prove to himself that Aikido was potent outside the of the controlled walls of the dojo. As he trained the more his obsession for validation grew, until one day, travelling home from work on a local commuter train, a potential situation presented itself - an overtly drunk and aggressive man boarded the train and immediately started verbally abusing the passengers. "This is it", the Aikido man thought to himself, "this is my chance to test my art". He sat in wait for the abusive passenger to reach him, it was inevitable that he would, he was making his way down the carriage abusing everyone in his path. The drunk got closer and closer to  the Aikido man, and the closer he got the more loud, verbally abusive and aggressive he became. Most of the other passengers recoiled in fear of being attacked. Not so with the Aikido man, he couldn't wait for his turn so he could prove to himself and everyone else the effectiveness of his art. The drunk got closer and louder and the Aikido man made ready for the assault. But before he could rise from his seat the passenger in from of him stood up and engaged the drunk jovially, "Hey man, what's up with you? I bet you've been drinking in the bar all day, haven't you? You look like a man with problems. Here, come and sit down with me, there's no need to be abusive. No one on this train wants to fight you". The Aikido man watched in awe as the passenger talked the drunken man down from his rage. Within minutes the drunk was pouring his heart out about how life had taken a downward turn and how he had fallen on hard times, tears streaming down his face. The Aikido man, somewhat ashamed, thought to himself "That's Aikido!", realising in that instant that the passenger with a comforting arm around the drunk was demonstrating Aikido, and all martial arts, in its highest form.