A strange kind of sightseeing...

I was in Seattle all last week with work. It was hectic and poor Heather was alone with the boys for an entire 6 days. I had to go up there though, so off I went.

Last Friday a colleague and I finished the day early and decided to do some sightseeing. I suggested going to the place in the above photo. It is, in fact, Bruce Lee's grave. His son is buried right next to him. I wasn't sure if my colleague would be game. I mean, going to a cemetary isn't exactly everyone's idea of a good time, but I think he was just glad to get out and about. It gave us something to do aside from going to that dopey Space Needle.

I had been to the Lee family grave a couple of years ago, but I wanted to see it again. For all the years I have stuck with martial arts, it is a kind of personal Hajj I guess. Certainly I am not the most accomplished martial artist out there by any measure, but I've put about 20 years of my life into these pursuits, so it is part of who I am. I really cringe when people talk about martial arts though. It wears a bit of a dorky face at times. I try to keep my zeal to myself therefore. It's a personal thing that I don't wear on my sleeve.

Bruce Lee however......now there was a real icon. He transcended racial, national, and martial arts boundaries with incredible success. Regardless of whether someone does martial arts or not, everyone knows the guy. He had charisma, vision, and dedication in spades.

How this ties into the theme of my journal is relatively simple. As a young boy I watched a fair amount of TV as young boys do. I can remember from a very early age, maybe 7 or 8, catching one of Bruce Lee's films. I can't recall the film, but I recall the moment. For reasons I can't explain I was drawn in as a moth to a flame. His mere presence captivated me. That feeling resonated throughout my youth. I was drawn to Asia. Eventually it would draw me to live in Japan for 3 years as well.

Now, here's the part I think about from time to time. It was in Japan where I met my wife, and it was with my wife that we now have our two boys. Considering that Bruce Lee stands as my initial catalyst into an interest in Asia and marked the beginning of my path that would lead me to Japan, perhaps I do feel some kind of gratitude to this man that I never met.

Granted, I won't dramatically say that all of these things can be defined so simply. There were many other factors that led me to martial arts, an interest in Asia, and an eventual residency there, but certainly Bruce Lee factored into it.

So, the least I can do is go and pay my respects to this person. Clearly, I am one of thousands to do so, and my little journey there seems a bit corny, but whatever, it was good to go.

As a parent, I am keen to expose my children to some of the same interests I hold. I would be overjoyed if they showed an interest in learning Kung-Fu or any other martial arts. It would be something we could share together. It would feel as if this part of my life had come full-circle in some ways. I remind myself though that they might not be into it at all. That's fine as well. These are just thoughts that go through my head.

I do wonder who will be the icons of my children though? Aside from the obvious parental component that is ever-present in their lives, who will influence their paths?

Which face on the screen will ignite something that already rests within?