What do you wake up in the morning thinking about? What were you thinking about this morning? So often the day starts with what seems like a thousand things on the “To Do” list for so many of us that it sometimes seems like a mountain too high to climb.
Well today was a little different for me. For those of you who don’t know I’ve been laid up with a dose of “walking pneumonia”. And what’s that I hear you ask? Well … they tell me it’s just pneumonia but, because those of us who earn this wonderful accolade of having been given the title of a recipient of this “walking pneumonia”, it simply means that we have a lung infection that most people would probably go to hospital with but because we are fit and healthy (mostly) we’re able to keep walking around and do stuff … well … sort of 🙁
So … back to this morning … well I woke thinking how much better I am feeling (after my second course of antibiotics) and loads of rest and how lucky I am to be surrounded by such a great team of people that are true family.
Of course my immediate family, Dan and Ryan, and of course my wonderful partner Linda and mother Philly (BTW did you know she’s getting married on 6 December .. at the modest age of 76) are always my rock of support.
But the martial arts family that supports me is incredible and I am the luckiest man alive when i think of the family support I have.
One of the key people, who is very close to me, and I’m not sure whether to think of him as my son, my mate, my business partner …. or whatever … and all of these is about right … however he is one thing for certain, and that’s an incredible martial artist.
Ian Lloyd is the guy I am talking about here. If you haven’t already met him, get to know this bloke. He’s funny, sensitive, intuitive, withit, and the list goes on.
On the martial arts front, Ian has a 2nd Dan black belt in Taekwondo, is a 4th Dan in Hapkido, and is amazing when it comes to his fitness, health and general well being. This guy is in his forties and deadlifts around 190kg, he did over 170 burpees in a recent challenge, he’s fought full contact, can tie you up in knots in a ground grappling session (just for fun) and imparts his knowledge when teaching white belts or higher dan holders like a man born to teach would do. I could write for days on this guys achievements both personally, physically, communally etc.
As the most senior person in Factor10, and my closest confidant and 2IC, I can only marvel at his growth and development as a person and martial artist since he graced my presence over 10 years ago.
We Masters need people to admire and the universe has delivered a special one to me in Ian Lloyd. An extraordinary martial artist.
