Walter 'Killer' Kowalski (10/13/1926-08/30/2008)...

I am not a very religious person. In fact I don't really talk about what I believe in because I don't even really know myself most of the time. Pam put it best and told someone once that I am not religious, but spiritual. This is probably the easiest way to describe me.

Anyway, I briefly mentioned in one of my earliest posts that I was a short lived trainee in professional wrestling. I spent the better part of 2 years going down to Malden, MA working out at Walter 'Killer' Kowalski's school of professional wrestling.

Without going into much detail right now due to time constraints I will just tell you this. Walt was a very philosophical man. He was also well respected. Not one person would enter his class without walking over to him and shaking his hand. Nor would anyone leave his class without doing the same. This was the ultimate sign of respect for an icon in the profession.'

He unfortunately passed away yesterday. It is very sad news. But rather than talking about that I want to just tell you of an experience I had with him that I will always remember...

It was probably toward the end of my training as a professional wrestler. I had many injuries by that time. Mostly bruises and such, but I had also once fractured my wrist and blown out my knee a few times as well.

This was probably the 3rd time I had tweaked my knee while in the ring. It was very discouraging especially since no doctor could tell me what was wrong since my knee looked 100% health.

As I sat outside the ring watching other young athletes running the ropes and doing drills I seemed pretty down. My knee ached and I knew that I probably wasn't going to be able to do this for much longer. Walt must have seen this because he got up from his bench (which he rarely did except to come in the ring and show us a move to or two from his days dominating the ring) and walked over and sat down next to me.

He had a nice long chat with me and told me that he saw great things in my future. Now this is always something great to hear from loved ones, family and friends, but when you hear it from someone that has barely a relationship with you, especially someone as iconic as Walt was, say that to you, it can only lift your spirits.

He then got something from his bag. It was a laminated piece of paper. He may have had more then one of these likely, but he gave this one to me and said, "Always live life now. Don't dwell on the past or think about the future." He then got up and went back over to his bench.

Here is what was written on the paper he gave me:

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God is Now

We spend so much time in the past. Dreaming about things that have been and have gone. These things no longer exist. The past does not exist! So, also, we worry about the future, something that has not yet occurred. The future also does not exist. There is only the present. We should make the present, this instant, our very own and personal creation of joy and happiness. just think, each instant starts with a clean, new, pure birth, and it last forever.

The is continually changing from one moment to the next.

Now, God does not change. God is, and has been, the same and always will be. Since time is always changing and God does not change, there is no God in time. In other words, God does not require time to act for you. God is now.

Each instant, every moment, starts a pure new birth; it starts holy. We ourselves desecrate this holy instant. Each holy instant is full of love. Let us expand it, and make it last forever.

We start each and every moment a holy person, make it last forever. This moment, as you read this, I start my holy love expanding in your world.

All my love for you, to last forever.

Walter Kowalski
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Thank you Walt...