Guru Dan and Capoeira Murals
For months, I respected a mysterious man from afar. His long gray beard pulled into a ponytail, wrinkled face, and stocky build made him hard to forget. After one of my runs, I practiced capoeira near him as he completed multiple sets of pull-ups.
We talked during a break between sets, and our friendship began.
Our commitment to early-morning workouts formed a bond. Three days a week, I found Dan at the park near my former home, exercising as the sun peeked over the horizon. He walked, stretched, and did pull-ups; I did capoeira, pull-ups, triceps dips, and yoga.
Dan often talked about the importance of exercise and diet. He encouraged me to avoid sugar and salt.
Guru Dan, as I later called him, also advised me to stay active and away from Western medicine.
He told stories about what he “used to be able to do,” but couldn’t anymore.
Dan neglected his health and struggled with addiction to cocaine and marijuana in his younger years. As he aged, he decided to change his lifestyle. I always listened to his stories and pledged to make healthy choices.
In his eighties, Dan said that many of his friends had passed away. He shared how, with every restaurant that opened, they ate and stopped working out. His goals included making it to see one hundred or more years.
He often referenced Moses from the Bible as an inspiration.
Depending on the time, Guru Dan and I talked for multiple minutes or kept to ourselves. We eventually developed an intuitive rhythm. We’d greet each other, stretch, and move.
When I recorded the video, I didn’t think it would be one of the last moments we would have together. I envisioned saving and sharing the footage with Dan for inspiration. While I had entered negotiations for a position in St. Maarten, I remained open to employment options in the States.
Except for the usual problems, life had been solid.
My children enjoyed their schools and had close friends. For the first time in more than ten years, my wife had a job she loved.
While I didn’t have everything that I wanted, I had peace. I couldn’t afford every luxury, but I found joy on trail runs and in front of murals where I recorded videos of capoeira training sequences. Sacramento offered a small-town vibe with the perks of a big city.
We found kind people like Dan and enjoyed the conveniences of our community.
Last week, we returned to the Caribbean Islands. I accepted an associate professor position at the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine. After living for six years in Antigua and Barbuda and working in a similar position, returning to the islands is almost like coming home.
The narrow roads, local customs, and culture feel familiar.
While I miss Guru Dan, family, friends, and former coworkers, I have plenty of exercise options and opportunities to build new relationships. Nothing can replace those sunrise workouts and conversations with Dan, but I am grateful for where I am today. My work is meaningful, and my family is readjusting to life abroad.
While I am not a medical doctor, I influence the brains and behaviors of future physicians. I teach them how to study and develop the empathetic listening skills needed to treat patients like you, me, and Dan. This work is purposeful.
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