I love seeing such pure expressions of our primal origins.
This photo was one of my favorites from the Freestyle Finals at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. It captures the moment a South Korean wrestler securing a bronze medal, exempting him from mandatory military service. Shortly after, the man saluted his coaches and teammates to pay respects to his country.
Photos like this tell so much beyond what the image shows at the surface level. So many untold stories....
All the early mornings, hungry nights, missing special occasions like weddings and graduations of family and friends that can never be experienced again.
All those homemade dinners you miss from your mother, because you have to make weight.
All the days you miss seeing your own children grow up.
Crippling doubt and anxiety stemming from possible career-ending injuries to come back from, minimal socioeconomic stability, not to mention the days you feel like you aren't getting any better or improving in the practice room, having you question every decision you've made up to that point...
These are the reasons why I fall in love, again and again, with the passion and courage of martial arts and combat sports, where you face all your angels and demons in the form of another human being across from you.
Conquer yourself.
Triumph.
