Is There Always a Solution

How do we develop new Krav techniques? Sometimes a real life situation emerges that requires a solution and sometimes a student will present a situation that might happen. In both types of cases we analyze the situation, draw on Krav Maga principles and come up with a solution. After this we try it out full force, we test it in as close to a real situation as we can, with full protective gear and resistance.

Sometimes however, we simply don't have a solution.

Sometimes the odds are stacked against us, we make a mistake, or it's simply not our day. This can happen, and does happen. Sometimes all our solutions are simply not applicable.

What do we do then?

A great Talmudic scholar once had a question he could not solve on his own, he simply did not have a solution. So he wrote to a greater scholar.

The greater scholar sent back a brief note refering the younger scholar to a certain Talmudic passage. The first scholar examined the passage carefully but saw it was a quandry, it was a passage with no solution.

The first scholar wrote back, confused, "I have studied this passage closely but it has no apparant solution, how can this help me?"

The senior scholar wrote back, "Precisely my young friend; sometimes there is no apparant solution. You just have to accpet that and move on."

Similarly sometimes I can not see an apparant solution to a self defense situation, so I go to a more senior Krav master.

His answer is often, "There is no effective solution to this situation, just go along with it and keep your eyes open for a window of opporunity. A change may take place and you will be able to act. Wait for your moment."

My rabbi says, "Look at the bigger picture." I.e. perhaps today you are robbed, or even beaten up. Perhaps today there was nothing you could do, but look at the bigger picture. You are alive, you can still work, earn money, live. This one episode is not the end."

One of my students was hit from behind in a bar. He did not see this coming, there was no way he could have seen it coming. There was no solution. OK, he got hit, but he was OK. He is OK. Look at the bigger picture, not every encounter will go your way, but the overall picture may still be in your favor.

My friend Joan offers another insight. We want to be in control. We demand a certain solution. But that might not be the solution the universe has in store for us. The stars were alighned against us on this one and we just have to take a likin' and keep on tickin'. We don't always get what we want.

Recently I had an unfortunate case where I missed a flight by a few minutes. All my valiant efforts to catch another flight from this small town airport did not succeed. I tried every solution but nothing worked. I was greatly dissapointed, as were others. Later I found out that even had I made my flight I would have run into trouble later as another flight was delayed. I would have missed my connecting flight.

We like to be in control, we like to always have a solution, but this cannot be. This is not the way of the universe. As my rabbi says you can't win 'em all, that's the nature of the game. We must prepare for every eventuality, even one with no solution.

"The only thing that is certain is uncertainty."

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