How Martial Arts Has Changed My Life

There I was, at 36 years old, having just finished a 16-week fitness program. I was proud of my accomplishment, however, I did not know where to go from there. Should I start the program over using more weight and reps, or should I start a new, different program? Enter Martial Arts.
When I was in the Navy, I studied Muay Thai with a fellow sailor who had grown up in Thailand where his father was stationed. So I figured I would look for a Muay Thai school in my area. Unfortunately, there were no traditional schools in my area, just the ring-fighting style which did not interest me.
It's funny how things fall into place sometimes. After giving up on my Muay Thai search, I decided to expand the search into other forms of Martial Arts. My daughter was already into Taekwondo, but I wanted that to be just hers. I looked at Mixed Martial Arts, but that was a lot of angry, young men beating on each other. I was searching for a more "soulful" version of the Martial Arts.
One day I was depositing money at my bank, and when I pulled out of the parking lot, I saw a small martial arts place next to a sandwich shop. It was different than any place I had previously visited, because it was a half-acupuncture-clinic, half-dojo. I talked to the sensei, and asked of I could observe the class. She agreed on one condition: I had to stay for the whole class. This was the first time any of the instructors had asked this of me, so I figured there must be something different about this place. To my delight, what was different about this dojo was what made it the perfect choice for me. The students did not just train punches, kicks, and blocks like most other places. They did about an hour worth of warm-up exercises, strength and conditioning exercises, and deep stretches and breathing. Then they started to train the movements. Talk about a practical art! What could be better for overall well-being? Not only would I get plenty of exercise, but I would learn the focus and discipline of a Martial Art, and it was only two miles from home! As soon as I could get the money together, I paid the first month's fee, bought a uniform, and got started.
Since that day (just over a year ago), not only have I gotten in much better shape (20-pounds lighter), but I seem to have better mental focus, an insanely higher level of patience, and a general calmness about things that I never had before. I have learned to limit my efforts to only the necessary, and not waste much thought on things which clutter the brain. I have also watched my daughter's overall demeanor change since she started Taekwondo. She is only seven, so she still gets rowdy, but her alertness and focus have improved dramatically. (Now she doesn't annoy her big sister as much.)
By Martial Arts standards I am still basically scratching the surface, but I have realized that this is a choice I have made for life. The great thing is that there are no time limits, nor will I finish the program wondering what to do next. Perfection is a myth; you should just keep practicing to get better each day. I plan to practice until I run out of days.