The Beauty of the Struggle

From My Perspective

By Toni Walker

We all have struggles. Whether they are financial, social, or addiction, we all have that thing that we find it almost impossible to get passed. You want to know the truth? I think we would be a lot unhappier if we had no struggles. Let me explain. The struggles we endured, no matter what they are, work to form us into who we will become. Think about a little baby for a moment. When they are learning to walk, they tend to fall a lot. What do the falls do? They help the child learn to maintain balance. With balance, the child will learn to walk. If a child was never given the opportunity to fall, their ability to walk would be stunted. Another example would be is financial struggles. When one if faced with a financial difficulty, they gain the ability to at least see the need for budgeting and being frugal. Struggles are what gives our lives direction. As we face those things that seem insurmountable to us, they give us the opportunity to learn how to find new ways of handling difficulty. We “see what we are made of,” so to speak when we are in the midst of struggles. Struggles also give us the opportunity to learn what it means to lean on and rely on other people. Some of my best friends have been with through some of my deepest struggles. They have seen me at my worst, and have helped elevate me back to my best. Whether on the race course, or when parenting my difficult child, they have been there cheering me on, praising me and giving me the desire to keep going. When I was younger, I thought that I wanted to live a life struggle free. But the truth is, the struggles have made life better. The struggles, though they seemed like they would break me at the time, truly made life sweeter. And the sweeter, the better. Because the best memories have some from the hardest times in life. So, the next time you are faced with the thorns and struggles of life, remember the beauty of the rose. Yes, the rose is a beautiful flower, and is often given as a symbol of love. But, below that beauty are the thorns that line the stems. The horns, although they hurt for a moment, actually protect the rose, and give the rose its opportunity to grow. Our struggles do the same for us. So, instead of focusing on the struggle, think of the beauty of the rose that is to come.