“Success is not measured by what you accomplish, but by the opposition you have encountered, and the courage with which you have maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds.”—Orison Swett Marden
No one likes to struggle, but struggle is an inevitable part of life. While struggle should not be sought after, it should be welcomed (to some extent, at least). There is no growth without struggle.
While we tend to look to beyond the storm clouds for when the struggle will end, there is something to be said for engaging in the struggle. What are we to learn from this? What good can (and will) come from this? The opportunity is present, if we choose to look for it.
I have often felt that I have not struggled in my life. Indeed, I have not struggled to the magnitude some of my friends have. So, at times, I feel unqualified to talk about struggle. And, perhaps, I am. I find, however, that I am less inclined to struggle, per se, because I am less inclined to perceive my circumstance as a struggle. Perhaps, it is merely denial. But, more often than not, I see it as a normal part of life—and my struggles are minor by comparison to others. To be completely honest, the notion that I have not gone through great struggles sometimes worries me. I think of Arthur Ashe’s response to the question of whether he ever asked “why me?” in response to contracting AIDS from a blood transfusion. His response was, in essence, “If I were to say, ‘God, why me?’ about the bad things, then I should have said, ‘God, why me?’ about the good things that happened in my life.” I tend to take this a step farther and ask: “God, why not me?” I find myself waiting for the shoe to drop, so to speak. This is not to be asking for suffering. Rather, it is an acknowledgement of “there but for the grace of God…” and of the knowledge that I am not above anyone. Indeed, as I have watched friends suffer, I have realized that I would have handled it with the strength they have. And, maybe, this is why I don’t “suffer”—because I am simply too weak.
There is no way in the present to know why suffering happens. I believe, in hind-sight, we can always see that our suffering works for the good of others. This offers little comfort to the sufferer. It does, however, give us the courage to see the opportunity in suffering. Good will come from the pain.
For those who are hurting, my thoughts and prayers are with you. Your strength encourages me. Know that you do not struggle in vain. While you might never make sense of what you are going through, know that you are a blessing to us all. Remain strong.