I don’t consider this blog a forum for recounting my personal tribulations. I have them, like everyone else, but you don’t stop by to hear about my sorrows and I’m disinclined to become “that friend” who seems one step shy of a breakdown or going postal.
I do, however, like to share triumphs, even the small ones, in case they can brighten someone else’s day. Today’s triumph is named Cygnus, and he isn’t a little seahorse anymore.
Back in June, the seahorse tank I lovingly established in December of 2010 finally received its first seahorses. Regular readers might remember them as Cygnus and Sputnik:
Early on, Cyg had problems. He almost died on several occasions – and Sputnik did die almost two months ago. She got sick, and despite best efforts I couldn’t save her. Cyg was touch and go for a while, but he made it. He now looks like this:
I attribute the victory to perseverance – both Cygnus’ and mine. Even when the situation looked impossible, neither of us stopped fighting. I did the same for Sputnik and lost, but Cygnus prevailed.
So goes life, and today’s lesson learned. Sometimes you fight with all your heart and soul and strength and the battle still goes against you. When that happens you have a choice. You can lie in the mud and cry bitter tears or push yourself up, wipe the blood from your eyes and soldier on – not always because you want to, but because you refuse to allow a permanent defeat. Because you know the next battle might end differently.
Because your spirit won’t quit unless you allow it.
You have a challenge to face today. Maybe it’s life and death. Maybe it’s pen and paper. The elderly parent, the needy child, the demanding spouse, the unemployment line. The question is not if a challenge beckons, but how you will choose to face it.
You have a choice.
Straighten your shoulders. Brush off your boots. Grab your courage and your fortitude (and Oreos, if you got ’em). Hold the line. And when it goes well, come back to the comments and share your victory – even if it’s just in a minor key.