It was 1985, the sun was down, other kids were playing around the apartments playground, some were playing basketball, a few were playing marbles off to the side, and me, well, I was breakdancing of course.  Everyday after school we would hang out in the playground with our huge piece of cardboard and we’d practice until we couldn’t dance anymore.  We moved to these apartments for a year for several reasons, just me, my mom, her new husband at that time and my little brother Rocky.  He was around 8 years old with the coolest bowl haircut ever seen.

As we were dancing and hanging out, I was interrupted by the sound of my little brother yelling at a bigger kid to leave him alone.  There was a chubby little kid in the complex who was known for being a bully and he was messing with my little brother on the other side of a 20 foot fence.  I shouted at that kid from the other side to leave Rocky alone but he wouldn’t give.  I don’t know what came over me at that point, but I started running towards the fence exit, ran full blast around to the other side, fixed my eyes on the chubby boy and as I got about 10 feet from him I jumped in the air, extended my leg and kicked him right in the chest!  This was all spontaneous and something I had never done before.  I had never taken karate or any type of martial arts.  This all just happened instinctively.  Could have been my natural born ninja skills coming out.  I don’t know.  Well, the kid went straight to the ground, trying to catch his breath.  Everyone who witnessed this were trippin of course.  I was trippin as well.  I just did a flying karate kick to a kid’s chest!  What the?  I think I played it off like I knew what I was doing and took my little brother back to the other side of the fence with me.

Later that night we get a knock on our door.  My mom is home by this time and she answers.  Standing outside was this kid, his dad, and older brother.  All i remember is the dad pulling the kid’s shirt up and seeing a bruise on his chest in the shape of my shoe, sole pattern and all!  My mom took care of me that night with the belt, but I’m sorry, as a kid my age, seeing my shoe imprint on a kid’s chest was something out of one of those old school karate movies and it seemed worth the belt woopin.

I would of course never recommend that any kid do this, unless you’re being bullied and need to protect yourself or your little brother.   I’m not the violent type either and this was probably the only physical encounter I ever had growing up.  But if there’s a moral to this story at all, maybe it’s this.  Life is going to bully you around as long as you’re alive.  There will always be something that tries to steal from you, push you around, break you and beat you up.  All you can do is stand firm and fight back.  Don’t let life win.  When you need to do a flying kick to the chest of something that’s bringing you down, kick it!  If you find yourself in a helpless situation, choke it or punch it in the face.  Don’t be afraid to do what instinctively feels right to protect yourself.  Be strong.  Allow others to be strong for you.  And to those that believe in something bigger than yourself, allow God to be your strength always.

From one ninja to another, keep kickin.

- Hector Garcia

One of the most popular phrases that we’ve all heard at least once and will continue to hear is that “life isn’t easy”.  It’s really not and for some it’s an every day balance between work, kids, school, activities, debt, relationships, friendships, play, and family.  If we’re not careful, life can beat the crap out of us and keep us down for long stretches of time.

But the hardness of life doesn’t have to defeat us or win.  We can choose everyday to fight back and allow the good things in life to supercede the bad.  We can make the choice to wake up every morning and be happy or find at least one tiny little thing to focus on that will keep our head above water for that day.  For some it’s their kids or mate.  For others it can be their faith in God.  Some even find it in a hobby, sport, or even their craft.  Whatever the case, I feel like there are at least three things that we can do everyday that will always make it good a one.

LIVE.

I’ve had someone tell me before, “I love the way that you live life”.  This was of course in response to seeing all the stuff that I do and how much fun I’m always trying to have.  Regardless of how tough things might be, I really do love life.  I enjoy living and experiencing all that life has to offer.  If I could afford it, I would travel the world and see as much of it as I could.  I do what I can now with what I have, but this life was meant to live and that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m a little kid in a man’s body per se, and yes, I do want to have as much fun as possible.  Just seems like the natural way to live.

Every morning when you wake up, choose to Live.  Don’t get caught up in the routines of life.   Make the most of everyday.  Treat yourself.  Have fun.  Take time out to have fun, however that may be.  And if you have a hard time treating yourself, get someone to help push you and force you to make time.  Take trips.  Go running.  Swim.  Ride a bike.  Do something good for someone else.  Give.  Dance, even if it’s by yourself in your home with the radio full volume.  Move yourself to get the most out of every single stinkin day of your life.  This life is too short to get caught up in the crap that it throws at us everyday.

LOVE.

I firmly believe that Life without Love is no life at all.  There are so many different forms of love.  There’s the love that you have for your kids or family.  There’s love that you would feel towards a friend.  And then there’s straight up falling in love, which is one of my favorites.  But love is essential if we are going to say that we’re “living life”.

I’ve been “blessed” with such a big heart and the ability to love and forgive so easily.  Sometimes it’s a blessing and sometimes it feels like a curse, but I definitely wear my heart on my sleeve and I’m not ashamed of it.  Those who know me well know that I have no problem expressing my feelings and sharing my heart.  Again, life is too short to keep what we feel bottled up inside and all to ourselves.  If I love someone why keep it inside?  Why not let that person know how much they are loved?  We all want to be loved and appreciated, so by me keeping that inside, I’m depriving someone from receiving one of the most powerful feelings and emotions we as humans could ever experience.

Open your heart today.  Allow yourself to love and be loved.  Don’t be afraid to wear your heart on your sleeve and let others know what you feel or think.  We’re emotional beings and were created to love.  Love with all of your heart.  There should be no such thing as loving with half of it anyway, right?  Choose to love today.  Give love today.  And if someone loves you, open your heart and receive it.

LAUGH.

Some research shows that by the time the average kid reaches kindergarten, he or she is laughing some 300 times each day.  Compare that to adults who only laugh about 15 - 17 times per day (men and women laugh about the same, just at different things of course).

I’m 38 years old, and I would have to say that my laughter count is more than likely way more than 17 and hopefully closer to that of a kid’s.  I love to laugh and I love making people laugh.  A day without any laughter would suck!  We all know how powerful laughter is too, because we’ve all had a friend or family member who has been down or sad and what is one of the first things that we try to do for them?  Yep, we try to make them laugh or bring a smile to their face.

Laughter just feels good.  It’s a physical and audible way of our bodies expressing happiness.  So be happy today and laugh.  Laugh alot.  Let the kid inside of you come out and play.  Again, life is too short to take it too seriously.  This life is over before you know it, so why not fill it with laughter and peeing your pants (that’s what happens when something is super funny). 

Have a good day everyone.  Live. Love. Laugh.

- Hector