Finally after months of procrastination, I took seat and watched the movie “Brave heart” and while many of those who read my article today may find this a regular event, in my case it’s special. The young Wallace had to learn how to us his brain in order to win the big battles that lay ahead of him. He was a man of no noble blood but this didn’t stop him. He ran away from his calling until the day his beloved was slaughtered by the ruthless English Lord and was forced to face the battle with the English king. Watching Wallace’s dad and uncle advice the young child that in order for him to master his weapon; he must master his brain/wit, I couldn’t help but relate to this priceless piece of advice. Well, I am not trying to narrate the movie to you rather I would love to share a thought on the battles that we face in our daily lives. The ones that even though no blood is shed, a lot is at stake and we couldn’t possibly afford to lose them.
We struggle to keep our children on the right path, choose the right career paths or fight to keep the one we have at hand. At times, the struggle is in a bid to find the right partner for us or better keep the ones that we have. The struggle to keep the love and trust alive while adhering to the vows we once made. To some the struggle may be to make ends meet or worse to keep a smile on their faces as they battle terminal illness. In certain cases the battle seems lost even before it begins and we may feel that even though we have the right weapons which could be in the form of wealth, drugs and good education, all is hopeless and meaningless. My questions tonight are how to we emerge victorious in our daily struggles? How do we bravely say, I fought the battle and won? At what point is the battle truly won?
I have come to know that no successful endeavor comes without a well laid plain or strategy. Even though we may not declare it in black and white, the strategy starts with a simply thought. An idea that keeps floating into our head and eventually being manifested in the form of a venture. It may start by simply spotting the gorgeous woman across the room and trying to find the right words to say to her in a bid to start a conversation. It may be a favorite treat for our young ones in a bid to have them open up to talk to us. To some it may be to bring our bosses coffee every morning in a bid to remind them of our presence or perhaps work well beyond regular hours to show our dedication. To some it may be the willful determination to bravely bare the pain of the terminal illness that has crippled their bodies and struggle to keep a smile even though their bodies are exploding from within-A smile to keep their loved ones from worry or constantly pitying them.
It may not be easy to keep the mind in the right direction, with the right belief, faith, willful determination or alertness; nevertheless, I strongly believe that the battle is usually won even before it starts. The victory starts with a thought which manifests itself into attitude and eventually actions. Even though the actions may seem trivial they may as well help us bring our “Goliaths” to the ground. What I write today may not sit well with many but it’s simply a thought I have running through my mind. Indeed, we all have our battles and tonight, I hope we do have the wisdom to determine the true victory. A question therefore stands, when are your battles won? :)
PS: Even though I do not like to use the word battle, I couldn’t find a better word tonight
