I was cruising Instagram the other day when I discovered a post about a woman who had chosen the "non-mom" path after infertility. I wish I could find the post now, but unfortunately, I didn't save it. The ultimate message though was that it's okay to take a break, that we are currently living in a culture where we should NEVER give up, NEVER stop fighting. EVER. PERIOD. Just keep going.
It blew my mind. It's true, we do live in a culture where taking a break or getting help can seem like a catastrophic failure. I myself often feel like a failure because I take breaks. In fact, I take lots of breaks. I even SCHEDULED a two-week break after the marathon this September. We often see these posts about "keep going, the pain is worth it, never stop. Quitting is for the weak!" What if quitting is exactly what we need to move forward? What if, taking a break is what you need to heal and come back stronger than before?
While I LOVE the idea of a warrior mentality...to quote Jon Snow here, "our enemy never tires, it doesn't stop, it doesn't feel." By enemy, I mean all the things that threaten to drag us down. Stress, anxiety, bad days, broken hearts, diseases. Whatever life or the devil will throw at you, to bring you down and make you believe that you are not worth it, that you don't belong, that you don't have what it takes. That is what I mean by the enemy.
It blew my mind. It's true, we do live in a culture where taking a break or getting help can seem like a catastrophic failure. I myself often feel like a failure because I take breaks. In fact, I take lots of breaks. I even SCHEDULED a two-week break after the marathon this September. We often see these posts about "keep going, the pain is worth it, never stop. Quitting is for the weak!" What if quitting is exactly what we need to move forward? What if, taking a break is what you need to heal and come back stronger than before?
While I LOVE the idea of a warrior mentality...to quote Jon Snow here, "our enemy never tires, it doesn't stop, it doesn't feel." By enemy, I mean all the things that threaten to drag us down. Stress, anxiety, bad days, broken hearts, diseases. Whatever life or the devil will throw at you, to bring you down and make you believe that you are not worth it, that you don't belong, that you don't have what it takes. That is what I mean by the enemy.
Think of any battle scene you have EVER watched on t.v. or in a movie. In each and every one of those scenes war rages all around the hero or heroine. Then there's a moment where they hide behind a wall or a stone, or just out sight, to catch their breath before plunging back into battle.
Follow me as I nerd out here. Think about Lord of The Rings, Return of the King. Just before the battle for Isengard is about to begin, outnumbered and out-resourced Aragon makes a decision to seek help. With campfires burning all around them and soldiers dressed for battle Aragon, along with Legolas and Gimli, turn and leave into the mountain. The very dark, very unknown mountain. While it looks like to the other fighters that three of their best assets are fleeing from the agony and hopelessness of the upcoming fight; in reality Aragon is getting help, making amends for a truce he didn't break, for help, for his people.
On the cusp of battle, he turned and walked the other way, for help.
In 300, again we see a small number fighting a battle where they are outnumbered 100 to 1. This small army consists of men who trained their whole lives for a glorious death. They spent hours, days, months, years sculpting themselves into men that had 1 profession.
King Xerxes threw EVERYTHING he had at the small Spartan army. Elephants, rhinos, ships, balck magic magicians, soldiers.
As each wave of threat fell upon King Leonidas and his men, they spent the time to regroup, recharge, and fight back harder. At night the men slept, wrapped their wounds. During the day they ate, built a wall, and gathered to together to protect each other. Using shields to block out weak spots.
They literally fought side by side using a battle buddy to watch each other's backs. Even King Leonidas had a right-hand man.
While they took breaks, they never backed down from their main goal.
No retreat. No Surrender. Notice he didn't say, no food, no rest, no breaks until the battle is won. He said we will not back down from this fight until we have reached our goal.
It's important to know when giving it your all is damaging and depleting you and when it's time to give it your all.
For instance as Iron Woman and I approach our marathon training our miles are shorter and at half of our race pace. As we draw closer, the miles become longer, and the time table becomes more grueling. However, it won't be until race day, that I will give that race everything I have. Everything I have gathered from rest, from weight training, from eating right, from the miles logged to give it my all. To give it my best.
Fight your battles as hard as you can but remember that it's okay to duck around a corner, turn and find help, as well continue to take care of yourself so you can give more of yourself when the time comes.
Don't forget, even God rested.
Blessings,
A
Comments