Struggle to Tell Your Story

No one ever said life was going to be easy.

Humanity needs honest, brave souls willing to struggle for the air above them, even as they fight to figure out which direction is up.

When the history books reflect on the last four years, they will be mildly shocked, but mostly unimpressed. History books are written for the quickest possible method of consumption. The details remain on the editing room floor, and the broad overview of events is attached to the dates they occurred. Gone is the nuance. The real stories from the people who experienced each event first hand. Learning how to excavate your own story — your truest perspective — from the events around you is a skill worth cultivating.

But in our unending pursuit of ease, we neglect this tension-filled presence to chase after the next dopamine hit. We fail to see that the struggle is what brings meaning to our stories. We don’t watch movies for the happy ending of the happy people in the happy, easygoing lives. We celebrate the mud-soaked champions, fighting for justice and persevering through tragedy.

“One day you stepped in snow, the next in mud, water soaked in your boots and froze them at night. It was the next worst thing to pure blizzardry. It was the weather that wouldn’t let you settle.”

E.L. Doctorow

When you reflect on how you’ve handled this season of your story, do you see yourself in the arena, or waiting on the sidelines? What story will you tell after the lights are low, and the people have gone home? I hope you will recognize the authority gained as you strip off those ruined boots. The strength from your sacrifices, and the beauty of your struggle. When even the weather will not let you settle for mediocrity, I hope you know that the struggle was worth it — and that you found yourself in between the lines.