Defeat is a Decision

Monday Mountain
September 19, 2016

Defeat Does Not Just Happen to You

Those are harsh words. Suck it up, buttercup. I do not mean defeat like losing the last breath of life out of you, I mean defeat as in that sinking feeling when you give up. It happens to all of us at some point, mostly as a child. It's not until you gain a level of maturity when you acknowledge that the fault lies on your own shoulders. Think about it this way: as a kid, you would fall down and perhaps scrape your knee, well at that point when you start to cry for yourself because of the pain, that's when you become defeated.

It's just worse to become defeated when you get older because you gain so much more power, intelligence, wisdom, and spirit. As the number of days you've lived grows, you should grow in all of those facets so the likelihood of you being in a situation with unfavorable odds decreases. Admitting you're overwhelmed is your first step backward, at which point you may as well just give up. Sure, there are lots of things that may daunt your courage, that doesn't mean they should stop you. 

Over a series of events in my adulthood, a lot of unfortunate things have happened. I've been pushed to my limits. I've had the metaphorical wind taken out of my sails. I've resided in low valleys. I've swum in waters deeper than I am tall. I've been burned on passions. I've experienced a lot of feelings and situations where the decision about defeat was put on my shoulders. Not every situation was left in victory, there were times when I accepted the defeat because I could not carry on.

At this point now in my life, I will say no to defeat. I've tasted that sour solution to my sorrows and I must say, my heart prefers the burn of the prolonged struggle. I cannot tell you whether you should resist defeat, that decision lies purely within your heart. For myself, I will fight and persevere in order to rise to the top of every mountain I climb. For my loved ones, I will offer my hand to them so that they may too realise that they can rise above the agony of defeat. Nonetheless, every defeated person has willingly accepted, it is never handed to them. Be strong my friends, it's always better once you decide it will be.