Musings

The secret to the sword technique used by the main lead in the anime Rurouni Kenshin, is not some super fantastical moves or ability, but simply the motivation to stay alive and return to one's loved ones and friends. From all the history books and biographies that I have read this is certainly true. Nothing compels anyone more than the desire to go home. There was this example of sailors when their ship was sunk. The one of the few survivors was a 40ish man who was wounded and lost a lot of blood but he clung onto life hoping to see his family again. The rescuers found bodies of uninjured young men, who had simply given up hope. I recalled that there was a book on a German prisoner of war who trekked across Siberia, he literally walked home. Determination, they didnt give up.