You Must Endure

"Through endurance we conquer." - Ernest Shackleton

All of us will face hardship in our lives. From bad breakups to death in the family, from the betrayal of a friend to a car accident, every one of us goes through the troubles and difficulties that life will bring upon all of us at one point or another. For some, it feels like all they go through is one challenge after another. The moment one ends, it seems, another one is waiting to rear its ugly head at you, waiting to attack you when your guard is down and ready to make your life seem even more impossible.

Through these moments, however, we must face the fact that highs and lows in life are like the weather outside your front door. There will be days of stormy weather, intense wind, and crackling thunder, ready to battle your home and safety. But through those days of darkness comes the rays of light that life also brings to those who endure the struggles that it faces. The bright sun beaming down your face as you walk out to check the damage. The birds chirping on the trees that weren't blown down welcome you and your neighbors to a new day. The fact that your house stood against the forces of nature, with you coming out the other end of it, is okay.

You are okay.

Endurance doesn't mean you don't care what happens to you or can't admit you are in a tight spot. We all go through that. It's the understanding that there is a light at the end of this tunnel, and the ones who make it out of the challenges and walk through that tunnel emerge more robust and better than before the obstacle came their way. There may be damage and some scars that need healing, and you should tend to your wounds, but not without also accepting that you are still here, you are still around, and you are not going down without a fight.

We endure because it is built into all of us as humans. Whether through divine intervention or the biology of survival, we are programmed to hold down our fort and brace whatever struggles and hardships await us. Your struggles may differ significantly, but we are all made to stand firm on our own two feet, dig in, and stand ready, knowing that outside of life or death situations, we will come out of this alright. Those who handle these struggles the best through endurance will come out of it knowing more about themselves and their capabilities. They will get first-hand knowledge and experience in the battles that life brings to our doorstep, as well as the feeling of victory and triumph when they face the battle head-on and can stand on their own.

No one is saying this will be easy, this whole life thing, because it isn't. It never has been throughout human history and most likely never will be. But, if you look at the full scope of life, its wonder and beauty even in the darkest of moments, its connection to the rest of the world, and how each of us plays some part in the grand story of history, then you will know that this too is a part that you must play into the best of your ability. You were made for this; you will be able to conquer all that this world can give you, and you will stand among the mightiest of warriors throughout human history.

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