So Much Easier to Give Up

How much is too much adversity? When should you flee a difficult situation? Other than abusive or dangerous situations, I find this decision confusing.

Society gives me conflicting advice. On the one hand, you have glamorized movies like 300 and Braveheart, filled with noble warriors who fight to the death for grand causes. Not exactly practical advice for every day situations.

Outside of Hollywood, our culture encourages us to abandon ship at the first sign of adversity. Kids switch colleges because they don’t like their professors and their parents swap spouses, looking for a better match. Our elementary schools say, “Here’s a gold star, it’s not your fault.” Is that how we build character?

I was raised in a different camp; one that flew the “Perseverance” flag. My mother escaped an abusive marriage, raised three girls single-handedly and bought her first home at the age of 55. She faces life head-on and never gives up. So the idea of bailing out of a situation is hard for me to swallow, but I am so tired…

It would be so much easier to give up this time.

But…I’m not done learning from this situation. So while I may occasionally stumble, I think that as long as I continue to grow and learn and teach those around me, I will fight through the rough days. After all, doesn’t adversity make you stronger?