You Don't Know How Strong You Are

4 minutes

Last update: 10 February, 2016

Dear life:

When I say that nothing could go worse, it’s simply a question, not a challenge. You have a knack for complicating my existence, know that. Anyway, I thank you, because your harshness has taught me not to surrender. Thanks to you, I’ve been able to show myself how strong I am. I would never have learned so much without adversity. The more I hurt, the more pain I feel, the weaker I feel, the stronger it makes me.

It seems like there are moments in which everything turns against you. This breaks you down, and something inside you screams of powerlessness. Of course, it’s difficult to put yourself together when the world has failed you, when you feel alone, or when you think nothing could possibly be worse.

So you start to comfort yourself through the power of acceptance and change. Your wellbeing is within yourself, and you should only depend on the one love offers no resistance: self-love. You know that it doesn’t make sense to keep pressuring yourself, and you know that life is worthwhile, both the good things and the bad things.

And finally, you honor yourself. Because you know that to overcome is the key to your success, that the power of powerlessness has not broken you. If your mind can do this, then you can overcome anything that’s put in front of you.

The story of the two frogs, an example of resistance

One time, two frogs fell into a barrel of cream and began to sink. It was very difficult to swim or float for very long in that thick mass that felt like quicksand.

At first, they both flailed about in the cream so they could get to the edge of the barrel, but all they were able to do was splash around in the same place and sink. Each time, it got more difficult to get to the surface and breathe. One of them said, loudly:

–I can’t do this anymore. It’s impossible to get out of here, and since I’m going to die, I don’t want to prolong this pain. It makes no sense to die feeling exhausted from a pointless struggle.

And having said this, he stopped flailing and sank quickly, feeling literally swallowed up by the thick white liquid. The other frog, more resistant or maybe more stubborn, said:

–It’s very difficult to keep doing this, but I will keep trying to see if I can find the proper way to get out of here. I will not give up. I will fight until my last breath, for however long is necessary and possible.

And he kept kicking and splashing in the same place, never advancing even a centimeter. For hours and hours. And suddenly, from so much kicking and flailing, flailing and kicking, the cream turned into butter.

The surprised frog jumped and skidded towards the edge of the barrel and from there, he went croaking happily all the way home.

We should never give up. There is always the possibility that we’ll float, even when it seems crazy, even when we don’t think it’s possible. In fact, adverse situations tend to surprise us by their ability to make us look at the situation from different perspectives.

Don’t give up, even when the cold burns

“Don’t give up, there’s still time to reach out and start over, to accept your shadows, to bury your fears, to release the burden, to take flight again.
Don’t give up, because life is all about continuing the journey, pursuing your dreams, unlocking time, running through the wreckage, and opening up the sky.
Don’t give up, please, don’t give in, even though the cold burns, even though the fear bites, even though the sun hides away and the wind quiets down. There’s still fire in your soul, there’s still life in your dreams.
Because your life is yours, and so are your desires, because you have loved life and I love you, because there is wine and love, it’s true. Because there are no wounds that time can’t heal.
Open the doors, unbolt the locks, break down the walls that protected you, live your life and accept the challenge. Recover your laughter, rehearse a song, let down your guard and extend your hand, unfold your wings and try again, celebrate life and take to the skies.
Because every day is a new beginning, because right now is the best moment, because you’re not alone, because I love you.”
-Mario Benedetti-

Be strong, no matter the situation you’re going through. Everything will pass, nothing is permanent, everything is temporal. Nothing bad can last for one hundred years. Your life will get better. Don’t get depressed, because you make your days what you want them to be.

Take advantage of them. Live them. Smile. Conquer your fears. Cry if you have to, release what you’re keeping inside. But never ever give up, because in this life, there is no weight that you can’t bear.