RingSide Report

World News, Social Issues, Politics, Entertainment and Sports

Behind the Lens on The “Bad” Brad Berkwitt Show with Guest Jonas “Fountain of Youth” Goins

JonasBy Debbie “D2” Edwards

We have all had an unfulfilled dream. Maybe we desired to become a professional football player, but coaches said that we didn’t have the size. Perhaps we desired to become a ballerina, but didn’t fit the mold. It could be that we wanted to become a singer, but lacked the support needed to develop that talent. As we grew into adulthood and saw that dream slipping away, we may have accepted what others said, and reverted to Plan B.

But there are others who may have not discovered that passion until later in life. There are others who have the courage to defy the nay-sayers. There are those with a strong enough belief in themselves and a stronger work ethic that defy the limitations that time and others may attempt to impose on them. Yes, some among us seem to have found the “fountain of youth”, and are bound and determined to realize those dreams. “Bad” Brad and I had the privilege of meeting one of those courageous folks when we met Jonas “Fountain of Youth” Goins.

For those of you who have not met Jonas Goins, I will tell you that he has an aura that is positive and inspirational. Jonas is mild mannered and serene, yet fierce and competitive. He revealed to us that his journey in the MMA world began 4 years ago when he accompanied his children to their martial arts class. He was not the conventional former athlete, but he revealed that when he stepped onto the mat, he knew that he was where he should have been all along. Now, if you watched the show, you know that Jonas is 45 years old. So he was 41 years old when he started fighting competitively as an amateur MMA/Kickboxer in the Tulsa area. Jonas regularly faces opposition that is half his age, and has attained success in the cage. He realizes that his window of competitive fighting is not as wide as some of his competitors, and has positioned himself to realize his goals within that time frame. What an inspiration to those of us who feel that time is ticking on the realization of our dreams. What an inspiration to those who are early in the journey!

The need to maintain positivity, to work tirelessly, and to both support and be supportive is what stood out the most to me as I peered behind the lens, and even more so when we visited after the shooting was over.

Many people limit themselves. Many people accept the limits that others place on them. My advice is, don’t do this. Defy the naysayers and realize your dreams to the degree that your personal circumstances allow. One never know. There may be just enough water left in that fountain of youth to defy the improbable.

[si-contact-form form=’1′]

Leave a Reply