Imagine a world where we could decide when life would be rough. We could prepare ourselves for it, embrace the lingering doom. We could eat a good breakfast, wear something that makes us feel confident (almost like a modern suit of armor), and tackle this beast like a Spartan wrestling a foe.
This is an unrealistic expectation.
The hardest struggles of our lives hit us when we least see them coming. This is a big reason why they’re the hardest times of our lives. We prepare for the hook and get an uppercut, expected to keep our mouthguard in and push through the blood. We are never warned when our ship hits rough seas, we must simply weather our storm. While we may feel as if we’ve lost control of our ship, we remain at power as long as we stand on it’s deck.
This is what makes us strong. This unexpected, spontaneous, terrifying reality of being smashed by an unexpected hardship is the foundation of a strong self. No one ever learned anything from easy; truths are found in the dark, in the grittiest of situations.
Imagine a lion with a perfect mane, a perfect coat of flowing hair. No scars, no bruises, no patches. Now imagine a lion with facial scars from fights where he was the obvious victor, hair missing from the surprise swipe of a paw, a fresh kill still lingering in his teeth. While both are lions, which presents a more intimidating, stronger image? Which one makes you feel the pure drive and fire to survive, to carry on regardless of the things forced onto him?
Wear your scars, wear your battles, and remember that they are the dents in your armor that have made you victorious, not simply a fighter.
Dents, not holes.
Deconstructed Echos 