Page 105 - Reflections_over_Akamas

... is to persevere even when all our faculties urge us to give up, quit, and
compromise on our dreams. We are not romantics idealists pursuing the

impossible. On the contrary, we are realists who understand that the longer
we stay in the game, the better our chances of achieving the change for
which we are making sacrifices. Endurance is a child of the present moment,

just as change is. Either we embody change in the present moment, or it
will never happen.
To endure...

We don’t need to make spectacular strides, just keep going. Little by little we

will see that the gentle stream can carve a path through rough terrain. As the
saying goes, “We overestimate what we can do in a day and underestimate
what we can achieve in 10,000 days”. Of course, as in any journey, we will

eventually reach a crossroad, perhaps more than once. We’ll face a dilemma:
do we choose the busy highway or the road less travelled? Come to think of it:
Endurance can also become a competitive advantage, but that’s not where

it is not developed; it’s an inner strength. I define the goal and then the goal
defines me, never what I’m actually doing. I face the fear of the unknown
and adapt my strategy towards my goal. The most decisive step is to treat

life’s challenges as stepping stones to healing and growth, just as an athlete
turns gruelling training into physical and emotional fitness.

“I give up!” cried the knee in anger.
“Give up? After all these months?” the brain replied abruptly.

The heart skipped a beat and the brain revealed its question to both:
“Which choice will make you feel complete?”
Silence. Utter silence for an endless millisecond.

The brain shrugged its two halves and cheered:
“12 kilometres to go!”

“In paces, please!” exclaimed the knee, despite the pain.
And the heart? What did the heart say?
It smiled.

It always knew that giving up was never an option.

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