BRUCE LEE, MY IDOL

Bruce Lee is one of the most misunderstood world icon in modern times. Most people see him as an actor. Many see him as a Martial Artist. But only few see him as a philosopher. For me, Bruce Lee was a philosopher first, a martial artist second and an actor last.

For a long time he used philosophy as a tool in practicing martial arts as his way of life. He read a lot of philosophy books and martial arts books to improve his martial arts. As a true student of life, he practically reinvented martial arts by making it a living art and a way of life. He said "absorb what is useful and throw away the non essentials". He described martial arts as an honest way of expressing ones self. He is considered as the father of mixed Martial Arts today.

I have never read a book as honest and as full of truth than Bruce Lee's Tao of Jeet Kune Do. Bruce Lee said that a cup full of tea should first be emptied before it can be filled by another kind of tea. It was a way to illustrate how a student should learn new things. One should forget everything he learned in order to learn new things. If not, he will end up comparing, judging and criticizing new ideas against his existing knowledge instead of learning them.

Bruce Lee defined intelligence as one's ability to change one's self to adopt with the environment or change the environment to adopt to one's need. He also preached that any living or non living things can be defeated, mastered, manipulated or conquered if we devote time to study its strength and weakness. He said that true learning is "daily decrease not daily increase" which means simplifying things rather than complicating it. He said that there is a law inside each one of us that needs to be followed and observed. This inner law is the most important law one should understand. Without understanding that law, all the knowledge we accumulate is nothing. I am beginning to understand that now. Deep within each of us is a person waiting to be discovered, understood, harnessed and mastered by ourselves. We must seek to know our very own nature, our own desires, our own dreams, your own character, your own cravings, our own ideas, our own dreams, our own fears and frustrations before we can master our selves. Bruce Lee did it. That's why he is immortal.

I will always be a student of Bruce Lee. He taught me to "empty my cup" to learn new things. He taught me to "Be like water" to adopt to life's situation. He taught me to be honest to my self and follow my "inner laws" before I follow all kinds of law imposed to me by nature and humans. Thank you Sifu Bruce Lee.