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Eddie was not in the popular crowd. As far as he knew he was not in the popular universe. Everyone else at this party seemed not only taller than him, they were also drunker than him.

About the time things seemed to be getting weirder, he\u2019d decided to leave. Eddie heard a shout from across the room,\u201cLittle Eddie! Where are you going?\u201d

Eddie turned just in time to see Ken approaching quickly to head him off. Eddie stopped in his tracks. After Ken had made the football team, and Eddie hadn\u2019t, Ken had stopped being any kind of friend, and had made fun of Eddie\u2019s wrestling just about every time they met. Even after Eddie had won his weight class at State, it was always the same insults about wresting around with a bunch of sweaty guys on a sweaty mat.

Eddie RESPONDED, \u201cJust headed home. Got early church tomorrow man.\u201d Ken\u2019s slurred speech gave his drunkenness away, \u201cYou can pray tomorrow, but you ain\u2019t going nowhere tonight.\u201d Eddie RESPONDED, \u201cSorry to disappoint you. Gotta go.\u201d Just then Ken launched himself at Eddie\u2019s midsection in a full tackle.

Eddie RESPONDED immediately by dropping into a standing sprawl, controlling any tackle from occurring by keeping Ken\u2019s hands and arms at bay. However Ken was bigger and continued to push. Eddie knew he\u2019s have to move Ken around and control his ability to push him over.

Eddie dropped his head and pushed the hard part of his skull as if he had horns into Ken\u2019s eye socket, temple and nose. \u201cOuch!\u201d Ken said, and released rubbing his bloody nose and blackening eye. Dropping his hands to his knees and breathing hard. Ken spat out.\u201cWe\u2019ll go then you little\u2026!\u201d

Eddie tapped Ken on the shoulder, \u201cSleep it off my friend. I\u2019ll tell Reverend Mike you said, hey.\u201d Ken went home soon after, and did sleep it off. Eddie called to see how he was doing after church the next day, and Ken apologized. From that day they were back to being friends.

Eddie thought many times over their lifetime about that night, and how grateful he was for his RESPONSE. Both Ken and Eddie never made college teams, however, their years of friendship were long, and their children\u2019s children grew up like family together for holidays, blessings, baptisms and weddings.

Eddie\u2019s RESPONSE in self-defense changed his life forever. Eddie could have easily taken Ken out, however, he didn\u2019t.

We all have the ability to create our world in each RESPONSE we have each and every day. Remember it\u2019s not what happens to us that makes the difference, it\u2019s how we RESPOND that creates our future.

Life is full of conflict. In fact everything in life has an element of conflict. How will you RESPOND? Because how you RESPOND is what you will create in your next conflict, and life. RESPOND\u2026

Allen Hughes Life Defense Coach

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