Life is Struggle. Therefore, struggle gracefully. 

What we call life is not what we generally assume to “live our life”, especially superficially. Life on this planet means to struggle after struggle after struggle with no end in sight. Every creature exists and sustains its “creaturely nature” and generation only through infinite struggle. Because, though our beloved planet earth sustains us, it is not a hospitable arena for any kind of living beings! Encompassing all, every type of creature has to battle in a hard way before being wiped off from the face of this earth.

Okay, now let’s talk about us, the humans.

We, humans, are a wonderful creature and human life on this earth is a spectacular one also. We are notches ahead of other living beings in the whole hierarchy of the structure of life. We are differentiated from other creatures primarily because of our intelligence, self-awareness, creativity and complex social structure.

Humans are the only species that constantly seek to improve, question their own existence, and aspire for growth beyond survival.

We have moral and ethical reasoning and have the ability to shape the environment according to the needs of our survival and existence.

Having said all these, human life on this earth is not a cake walk. As mentioned, struggle is the only way human lives are driven forward. It’s the making and breaking of people individually and collectively. The ability to struggle keeps us alive and hopeful. When we are devoid of our innate capacity to face and mould ourselves according to the environment that is full of threats, setbacks, opportunities and a lot of other not so conducive social and natural conditions, we are likely to be doomed, not only to failure but to absolute extinction.

Therefore, life is nothing but our ability, rather a compulsion to go through a series of struggles from cradle to grave. No human can be said to be “unsuccessful” on this term and basis. And no human can say goodbye to this earth without being tested on the ground of severe trials and tribulations, which we can as struggle and suffering. Life, for anyone, on this planet is not a bed of roses. The rich, the powerful, the poor, the ignorant, the literate, the man, the woman, the kid, the boy, the girl, the old, the young, the healthy, the diseased, the black, the white, the brown, the Asians, the Africans, the Americans, the Europeans and all and sundry are ensured that they live here just because they struggle and struggle and struggle and their capacity to survive and overcome those.

But what makes human life more beautiful is our mental strength and resilience to go along with the laws of nature and confront what is inevitable. Not giving up is the true philosophy which awakens us to the fact that we are humans, the grand creatures. Giving up is weakness, it is surrender, it is not conforming to the rules of life. Output in life is irrelevant if we are showing guts and a brave face when tested by unfavourable conditions and trials.

Therefore, escapism won’t help us. Suffer gracefully by shouldering the responsibility to live in an honourable, courageous and noble manner. Death will visit all of us one day, but readiness to struggle and surviving each of those struggles makes our part a graceful one.

Thank you

Jayan. G