“We draw our
strength from the very despair in which we have been forced to live. We shall
endure.” –Cesar Chavez
What is bravery? If you asked 100 people, you might get the same amount of
answers. The definition of the word may
be dependent on one’s own life experiences. I think the answers would all have
one characteristic in common, though: endurance.
Courage is absolutely necessary to go through any struggle, right?
Childbirth
This is not
an easy process for most mothers. There are many factors that can’t always be
easily controlled or predicted. Medical attention is often necessary. The most
difficult part is near the end when the contractions and the pain really set in. I’m sure that every woman
wonders if/when the trauma will stop. You don’t even want to know what I was thinking when my children were
being born; trust me.
Are those
precious bundles of joy (babies) worth the trouble? Apparently, your mom
thought so; you’re alive and reading this.
History is full
of examples of people who have gained victories after enduring astonishing
hardships. Let’s look at three of them--and some of their most well-known
quotes:
King George VI of England (the father
of Queen Elizabeth)
“It is not
the walls that make the city, but the people who live within them. The walls of
London may be battered, but the spirit of the Londoner stands resolute and
undismayed.”
Some of this
prominent figure’s struggles were documented in the marvelous movie,
The
King’s Speech. They include the following:
- Accepted the throne when his older brother suddenly abdicated
- Stuttered
- Led England through World War II
- Disrespected by some family members
Winston Churchill (Prime Minister of
England from 1940-1945 and 1951-1955)
“Success is
not final; failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.”
************
“Never give
in, never give in, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or
petty—never give in except to conviction of honor and good sense.” (Harlow
school speech of October 29th, 1941, quoted from Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations)
************
“Sure I am
of this, that you have only to endure to conquer.”
************
- Distant parents
- Prime Minister during World War II
Teddy Roosevelt (26th
President of the United States)
“It is only through labor and painful effort,
by grim energy and resolute courage, that we move on to better things.”—Theodore
Roosevelt
- Childhood illness and weakness
- Fought to break up some major monopolies, including those of J.P. Morgan and John D. Rockefeller
My Conclusion
“I have seen
something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the
strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to
the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.”—Ecclesiastes 9:11 (NIV)
Endurance
wins the prize; it really does. It doesn’t matter if your objective is a safe
country, a baby, better health, or a life of contentment. Difficult, long-range
goals are only reached through patience,
strategic planning, and lots
of hard work.
Related Posts
How are you practicing endurance?
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