Since the mini-camp, I have become a fan of master Jean Jacques. For such a
champion (all the more inspiring because of his handicap), his humility is
exceptional. I very much look forward to seeing him more.
Online, I have discovered his podcast, No Gi Required, where he talks to people
from all walks of life and whose lives are touched by the gentle art. He shows
genuine interest in their stories off the mat. At the end of an interview, with
X, e.g., he would ask "Who is X?" and below would be my answer.
Most of the time, the guy is curious. He continues to experiment and morph
through life, recognizing old stories as he tries out new ones. And yet he
keeps within the love he has received early and tries to relay to the next
generation. After more than 40 years on earth, he has come to see fate as a
river where the accumulation of the past acts upon the present. For the
things that could have gone wrong he thanks luck. For those that could have
been better, he has stopped blaming.