Grateful To Be Sending You This

So I’m sitting here on Monday, the 23rd of December and writing you this blog.  Well, not actually writing, but rather dictating.

    Of the many things that I’ll end up expressing gratitude for in this reflection, the fact that this technology exists for me to be able to do so is awesome. I was hoping there would be such a tool, as I can’t actually type now nor will be able to do so for a while. Normally I compose as I type, but this will be an opportunity to learn a new way.

 We were supposed to be away as a team for our team KMMA off-site training the next 2 days, and then begin our Christmas break.

 A few key Sensei have been sick with the flu for a little while now and that combined with my Thursday night accident changed our plans a little, so we’re working from home today and then beginning the break.

 Speaking of breaks, I have a few broken ribs and a broken wrist. My body is bruised all over and it was specifically the inflammation around the bowel and colon area which caused them to send me to the Trauma Hospital for more tests and observation for the last few days.

 But I’m home now, and that’s another of the many things that I’m grateful for. Anyways, and this probably will be a little more stream of Consciousness than normal since I’m just talking and it’s a different thought process then when I’m typing, I’ll try to get to the point now.

 As is my custom, after or even while I’m going through something difficult, I like to write about the lessons learned and everything positive associated in an otherwise negative situation. Besides making for some good content that I can share with my awesome tribe, which I am also incredibly grateful for, this also allows me to keep my positive mindset, to focus on the positive as we know that we get more of what we focus on, to focus on the solutions and the blessings rather than the problems, and indeed to focus on all the things that went right as well as anything that went wrong and was in our control, so that we may do better the next time.

 So Thursday night, after some great training time with Grandmaster Smith on the 1st of what was meant to be a three day training exercise with him, I was driving home from the dojo on Dale Mabry. I was driving through the intersection by Calusa Trace, as I have done obviously many many times in the past. I was driving through the intersection with the green light so I had no specific reason to expect anything out of the ordinary to happen, but it did.

 Out of the corner of my eye I saw an SUV speeding towards me that obviously had no intention of stopping. There was not time to get away and he slammed into my driver side door. The force of that collision propelled me into a concrete light post.

 In the adrenaline dump of the situation, my fight response took over and I forced my way out of the car even though I’ve learned since that that was a stupid move. Thank God I had no neck injury. At any rate, I made it out of the car and was standing outside of the vehicle when the police and ambulance arrived. It was later, and talking to the investigating police, that I pieced together what had happened and that the driver of the other vehicle had run a flashing yellow light and slammed into me. I guess he didn’t understand what that signal meant and thought he was running a red light. I don’t know how he didn’t see me and hit me full speed like that..

 Anyway, suffice it to say, upon examination of the pictures you will agree that I am very blessed to be here telling you the story.

     So, as is my intention in this blog, let me get to the point and share my gratitude through the lessons learned from my experience over the last few days. I’m not going to try to do so separately, but rather just share my thoughts about both. Thank you for listening.

1.  First and foremost, I am grateful for God’s hedge of protection that kept me safe. My injuries are relatively minor compared to  what could have been.
2.  I am grateful to the medical professionals at both hospitals for taking great care of me and helping me to heal.
3.  I am grateful that, via the  combined Magic of blessing, positive mental attitude and getting right to work – i e I was aware that the sooner I could get moving myself and get out of bed and get to my own chair and get to the bathroom and do such things, the sooner I could get home and the better it will be for my body and condition moving forward; I was released Sunday afternoon and am home with my wife now, and will even have more family over to  feed and fellowship with me tomorrow.
4.  By the way, I did learn that in a serious accident like this, I should have had the ambulance take me directly to the trauma center. I went to a standalone emergency room first, which did treat me on all the minor injuries but then had to send me to the trauma center anyway for observation over potential internal injuries.
5.  I am grateful for the great care I received from the health professionals at both locations though. Many of them thanked me  for what a great patient I was though; it was a good reminder that the things that we teach, about gratitude and respect and mental attitude not only help us but also help those around us, in this case those around me to better help me and have a better time doing so.
6.  I’m grateful for the outpouring of prayers and positive thoughts and comments and check-ins and all the things from my amazing tribe of students, friends, family, mentors and others. It’s a great reminder about the power of a tribe.
7.  I’m grateful for all of the Great KMMA sensei that came together to still deliver great on our mission in spite of two key Sensei out with the flu and then myself out as well.  It’s a testament to the quality of our people and our Black Belt Leadership training program, as well as the power of our tribe. Three of the people that came in to make it happen aren’t even employees, but still great black belts able and willing to step up and chip in  when needed.
8.  I’m grateful that I have an amazing wife that has been taking care of my mother, her own, and others so much so well for so long, and is now applying all of her experience to my convalescent recovery as well. 🙂 Of course I’m always grateful to her in so many ways, but thankfully it’s not normally this level of high maintenance that I need. 🙂 I love you babe. I’m grateful for all my great family. Thank you to my awesome daughter Heather who went and found my cross for me in the wreckage of my truck; that meant a lot to me. And thank you for bringing my Awesome Grandson Triton to see me and help cheer me up in the hospital as well; not that I was ever in need of cheering up because as we’ve already ascertained I stay pretty positive 😂 but he does always make me happy too.
9. I am grateful for my EA Ms Ruthe that does so much behind the scenes and who will ultimately be editing this dictation and getting it out to you for me. She is a confident  and competent black belt leader  and professional and a great help to me.
10.  I’m grateful to all the many Technologies that make life easier for us and that we so often take for granted.

Well, I could go on and on, but I think 10 is enough for now.

 Please have an amazing Christmas or Hanukkah with your families and loved ones.

    Please disregard any petty squabbles or differences of opinion that rob your joy over this season. Rest well, relax well and recharge well. We are each and all going to need all of our focus and energy in 2025 as we join to make it our best year ever.

    This will be, actually, the final and most important gratitude lesson of all:

 Be grateful for all that are around your holiday table this season. Anything can happen to any one of them, or to you, any moment of any day. We should be grateful for, and make the most of, every moment we have together. None of it is guaranteed.

Prepare To Live; Empower To Lead!

Grand Master Stephen J. Del Castillo
Founding Master Instructor, Krav Maga Martial Arts
TampaKravMaga.com         StephenDelCastillo.com

About Grandmaster Stephen J. Del Castillo: Grandmaster Del Castillo is the founding Master Instructor of Krav Maga Martial Arts and has been empowering lives in Pasco and Hillsborough Counties since October of 2000. He is an 8th degree Blackbelt, MBA, author, mentor and success coach, a US Army Veteran and a proud father and grandfather. He is married to Ms. Barbara Del Castillo who helps him run the school. Grand Master Del Castillo began his training in the early 80’s and has high level blackbelts in Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Premier Martial Arts and Krav Maga Martial Arts as well as experience in kickboxing, Jeet Kune Do and Jiujitsu. He has high level instructor certifications from BBSI, IKMF, and KMG and has been featured in numerous Martial Arts publications and also Success magazine. He was a competitive sport karate and American Kickboxing instructor until he enlisted in the US Army where he served in the 82nd Airborne Division, where he won an Army Green to Gold scholarship and proceeded to ROTC and the University of Tampa. He was commissioned in 1992 and went on to serve in Germany with the 3rd Infantry Division and then in several other posts in the US until he left military service to pursue his dream of creating KMMA in 2000.  Today I continue to train, learn, sow and grow under the mentorship of World Champion Grandmaster Jeff Smith, who regularly visits the academy to help sow into my teams and students as well.

The Krav MagaMartial Arts Headquarters is in Lutz, FL at 1900 Land O’ Lakes BLVD and now our new location in 8836 US 19, Port Richey! Krav Maga Martial Arts serves Lutz, Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, Port Richey and surrounding areas.

See stephendelcastillo.com for more information and to order my book, Developing Your Superpower, Meditations on Mastery, Volume 1.

Also, check us out on Fun4TampaKids & on Go2Karate.com