Outline:
- Life is a struggle
- Great souls never afraid of misfortunes
- Adversities like a school teacher
- Adversities are the real test of man’s abilities
- The quality of a true warrior
Life is a struggle, a relentless battle. And a true warrior never admits defeat, come what may. He takes success and failure in his strides. He is more concerned with his fight than its result. He possesses great self-control, perseverance, self-reliance; confidence and determination. He is never afraid of misfortunes, failures, and ill-luck or heavy, odds. He takes them rather as a challenge and ultimately overcomes them with the strength of his character and strong will power. For him every misfortune is golden opportunity to prove his mettle. For example, once a big misfortune befell Thomas Carlyle, the famous Scottish author of the 19th century. He had lent the manuscript of the first volume of his great prose epic. “The French Revolution”, to friend for reading and perusal. The friend left it carelessly lying on the floor. And a maidservant regarding it as a useless bundle of wastepaper used it in kindling her fire. The re-writing of it from memory was a task of great and painful labor. Moreover, it was no less cruel. However, Carlyle engaged himself in rewriting it without any reproach or a word of complaint. At last, he completed it in the form in which it is now available and delights the perceptive and intellectual readers.[the_ad id=”17141″]
Great and heroic souls are never afraid of adversities and misfortunes. They regard them as blessings in disguise. They rather sharpen their determination, courage and ambition. For them the uses of adversity are always sweet. It is only a coward and fool who will regard a misfortune as a curse. A hero, warrior or a genius will never be down cast in face of such adversity or misfortune because he knows that misfortunes make a real man. In such an odd and difficult situation, he would simply say, “Let me embrace the sour adversity, for wise men say, it is the wisest course.” Misfortunes are like a hard schoolteacher who is ever strict with his students in the matter of homework and preparation of lessons. He punishes the weak and shirker but at the same time rewards profusely the hard-working, intelligent and determined students. Brilliant students are never afraid of such a master. They rather cherish his strictness. Shakespeare, the prince of poets and dramatists of the world, was very right when he declared prophetically “Sweet are the uses of Adversity”. He knew and so well how odds, difficulties and misfortunes make a man more wise, brave, bold, heroic, determined, persevering and relentless in his efforts. He knew that adversities bring out the best in man and woman. They make a man better fighter and warrior. Adversities are the real test of a man’s qualities of self-control, confidence, valour and perseverance. True and genuine warriors never lose patience and courage in the face of adversities. They wait patiently for the right moment and then strike with a great precision, determination and strength and win the battle. There is hardly any great man who has not encountered misfortunes or has not failed the first time. In such a failure and defeat no shame lies; the same consists in not trying again and retrieving it. They try again and again and ultimately coming out with flying colours. They never yield to disappointment and hopelessness. They ever remember what a poet has said:[the_ad id=”17142”]
The lesson you should heed,
Try, try again,
If at first you don’t succeed,
Try, try again
Struggle cannot fail to bring with it its storms, thunder, lightning and misfortunes. But a true warrior will face them with exemplary self-possession, calm and patience. The greater the odd and struggle, the sweeter the victory and honour, success is never for those who take things easily and lying. It is through travails and suffering that one becomes strong and manly. Strength is the other name of sufferings and adversities. They arouse the latent powers of a fighter, which would have otherwise lain hidden, dormant and useless. They are for our own good and well being. They are bitter initially but their uses are always sweet and beneficial. They form a ladder to ultimate success and victory. Nothing great or lasting can be achieved without sweat, blood and toil. For all great fighters nothing is impossible. The living example of Quaid-e-Azam is before us. He defeated the mighty British’s without using any weapons and violence. He suffered much and continuously for long at their hands but he never gave up either his ideals or fight for freedom and justice. During the hours of crisis, what was finest, purest and noblest in Quaid-Azam found its fullest expression and he ultimately won freedom for the country.[the_ad id=”17150″]
Adversities, misfortunes, heavy odds etc. take to their heels when faced boldly. They turn their backs at the very first encounter with a heroic and determined soul. It is only the brave who deserves the best. Luck favours only those who are bold and relentless in their struggle. Luck is another name of courage and determination. It is the privilege of the brave to command success and luck: Behind misfortunes are hidden the great triumphs which only the brave and bold can obtain. The true and great heroes never complain of misfortunes and ill luck; they neither find fault with their tools but shape their destiny by adapting the tools that chance puts in their hands. Tools are important but the hands that use them are more important who ultimately play a decisive role. The struggle with adversities, instead of dampening of spirits of the brave inspires them with hope, courage and to final success. They know that there cannot be any triumph without struggle and battle.
It is the mystery of life that man grows strong by suffering. The path to success and victory is not only steep but also difficult and thorny. It is the crushed flowers that give forth the riches, sweetest and rarest fragrance. Pain, suffering, misfortunes and adversities sublimate our soul and ripen our judgement. It was not until Dante had drunk the drugs of the cup of bitterness that he created his world-famous epic. “Let us not lose heart, then, when beset by difficulties, or sharply tired, or oppressed with failure, for these things are designed to stimulate us to higher and purer effort, and to teach us the great and glorious lesson of self-reliance.”
Columbus could discover America, Faraday mastered the secret of electricity and Thomas Alva Edison made so many important inventions only because they faced the heavy odds with confidence, courage and conviction. A man of courage is also a man of faith and confidence and these can even move the mountains.
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