Update 001 - 07/08/2026 I've been a martial artist in some capacity for as long as I can remember. In some sense, I always believed I'd be able to be a martial artist, but a friend of mine, who is much older and more committed recently endured an injury that threatened his life. Thankfully, he's alright, but it seems like his career as a fighter has come to an end. In some way, this shook me to my core, as I somehow forgot that I, too, would grow older, and eventually I'd not be able to try all the fighting styles I was putting off. My relationship with fencing, which has been my beloved combat style for the past few years, is starting to seem like a bit of a waste of time, considering how relatively safe the sport is. My friend asked me about my tryst with swordsmanship, and at first I was taken aback by a man who recently lost his existence considering the art that I exhaustively pursued, only to realize that, for all intents and purposes, fencing is a rather safe fighting style. Perhaps historically, fencing was about the closest one could get up to resemble playing in traffic at the rate of fatality, but in the modern it's remarkably safe. Injuries are rare, and consdering his injury was to his head, it was especially unlikely, considering the lengths of protection there. Is it odd of me to, then, think that I should be more eagerly risking my safety in my youth? I have enjoyed fencing. Besting an opponent feels like winning a chess match and an argument at the same time, while being bested feels like seeing a magic trick. It is simply invigorating. But what of pugilism? What of judo? Should I chase those until I lose the ability to do so? I've had some experience in boxing, and it was fun, but I don't have the build for that sort of thing. My limbs are long, and my body rather flat and thin, so standing and enduring blows makes me crumble quickly. I'd only want a few years with the sport, comparatively to what feels like a lifetime I could spend fencing. Even still - should I not spend those years now, given ability to endure in my youth. Apologies to my friend, as if he'd ever read this, that his olive branch struck me across the ego. Though, knowing him, the thought that he spurred me into reckless abandon to pursue self destruction in the form of regulated combat would make him very pleased. I think, this is a classic "no right answer" situation, but perhaps when the oppurtunity allows, I will consider a brief switch to Judo. Perhaps I'll hate it. Perhaps I'll find it closer to my heart than I would have thought. Regardless, as one should pursue as many languages as they can, I believe it is all the same with methods of combat.