Learning to Love the Struggle

Luckily, I'm still young enough to be occasionally struck wide-eyed by "revelations." This morning, I had what some would call a revelation. Really, it was just a lesson that I've heard enough and observed enough that it finally sunk through my thick skull and made sense. Life's not supposed to be easy. In fact, if it were, it would probably suck the big one. Things that come easily, are easily resented. Hence, the best way to get through life, happily, is to learn to love the struggle.

As Aristotle said, "A is A," reality can't be faked, no matter how much I may wish certain things in life to be different, they won't change unless I work to change them. Right now, I'm far from happy with the political environment in this country. That's putting it mildly. If things keep going the way that they are, I have serious doubts as to the survival of this Republic. Thoughts such as these have been plaguing me the past few weeks. This morning, though, a had a sudden sense of peace about about more than just the political situation. It was a kind of comprehensive, fundamental settling of my thoughts and emotions. The thought occurred to me that no matter what happens I can deal with it. Moreover, not only I can deal with it and will, but I will enjoy fighting for my values and designing mine and my family's life.

The childish urge to "have it now, daddy, now, now, now!;" the unrealistic desire for a magic wand just seemed to fall away. I suppose, if I believed in that nonsense, I would attribute this surge of peace and self-confidence to being touched by God, and "feeling his love for me." However, I think puzzle pieces just finally clicked and I had a leap in emotional maturity. I am responsible for my life. I've said that before, but this morning I came to believe it. I think the aforementioned childish urge was some of the last vestiges of the collectivist thinking in which I have been awash for the vast majority of my life. Somewhere in my mind, idea that somehow, things should be different and others should be responsible for making them different was still crouching, dankly in the dark. I think a lot of people suffer from this. They replace personal responsibility with God or the government or abstract faith. To make your life better, you have to do it; and it's not done with a magic wand, a silver bullet, or a metaphorical atom bomb. It's a slow process, a long-term proposition like redirecting a river. First, you have to know where you want the river in the end. Then, you have to acquire and use the tools to inch it along. It's a struggle, but when you love your life, you can love the effort to shape it.

~Adam