Battlefield

We are all made to believe that when we grow up and enter into the 'Big, Bad, Real World' that each day will be a battle. Inevitably it is supposed to teach us some lesson which is supposed to make tomorrow just a little easier. We are supposed to sharpen our minds and grow as individuals carving a niche for ourselves in a world full of people trying to do exactly the same. And each day is a fight with someone or something to come out on top and climb up one more step of the ladder.

All through our lives we are prepared for the harsh world. And our battles begin when we're young. From small fights over the crayons to actual fist fights over words. But we start fighting then. No matter how big or small, its still a fight. And I think it goes on forever. From fighting to get into a good college to fighting to get a good job till we're old and we're fighting against our health or age. 

This battlefield is all consuming. Along the way we make some allies who help us in our battles. Some become stronger friends and some drift away. And sometimes you even end up trying to fight to keep the friendship going. Each step we take and every move we are making is a precursor or a follow through to some battle that we have fought- knowingly or unknowingly. 

No one tells you you're in a battle. We are simply told that its a phase or a struggle or a lesson that life is trying to teach us. And naive that we are to the worlds ways and words we believe what they have to say. Each day continues like the previous, with blue prints of tomorrows attack.

I think I grew up believing that life was the toughest battle. The one where I would have to prove myself to the world in order to achieve my dreams and that is when I would find happiness- to have overcome the world. I thought that each day that went by would make me stronger for the next- and it did- just not strong enough for what I would realize is the hardest battle to fight. The one that you fight with yourself.

No one is a bigger critic of your choices than you. No one can bully you as much as your own self-doubt. No one can bring you down like your mind telling you you're incapable. But at the same time no ones praise is as important as you believing that you have done the best you can and no one can pull you out of any hole you may have dug for yourself except you.

I think its a matter of finding the balance in this battle with yourself. For every negative you give yourself you need to find a positive. Embrace what's wrong to you and try and make it right. No one should have the right to bring you down and no one but you should be able to determine what is wrong. 

The world will always have its opinion to give. Your parents, your friends, your family. Everyone will have a say in what is happening in your life. But the truth is that their opinions are based on their lives and their minds and understanding. No one is crawling into your head trying to figure out how you feel about something, they just want to tell you what they think. Its upto you whether the outsiders opinion is something that matters or not.

Life is extremely short, even if some days it seems like its never ending or dragging its feet refusing to get to its destination. And even on the slow rest days, we are still soldiers of this battlefield. Its just our choice on which battle we want to fight - the one against ourselves or the one against the opinions the world has of us. 

We all want to go out and make it big. Its human nature to want everything. But how many battles are you willing to fight before you get tired? And will fighting all these battles really make you truly happy?