Are You Afraid of Defeat?

When I was in high school many decades ago, I memorized a poem by Robert Service, entitled, "Carry On" which I loved! The second verse is:

"And so in the strife of the battle of life,
It is easy to fight when you're winning;
It is easy to slave and starve and be brave
When the dawn of success is beginning,
But the man who can meet despair and defeat
With a cheer, there's the man of God's choosing;
The man who can fight to Heaven's own height,
Is the man who can fight when he's losing."

I probably don't need to explain that I have had a soft spot for the underdog. I was an idealistic kid. I have never been in many fights, and no physical ones,  so there really isn't a reason that I loved and remembered this poem, yet it appeals to my soul. 

It says to me, that there is good for me and I ought to have it. And I need to do my part in the finding and creation of it.

For me, the fight is mental not physical. It is the strength of mind and character needed to move steadily forward toward your highest dream regardless of setbacks. (They could be a set-up!). 

In The Alchemist, the boy was successful  in finding his treasure and having his love, but many times throughout his adventure, he could have been defeated by the circumstances he faced.The alchemist becomes  a mentor and friend and gives the boy this advice:

What you still need to know is this: before  a dream is realized the Soul of the World tests everything that was learned along the way. It does this not because it is evil, but so we can, in addition to realizing our dreams, master the lessons we've learned as we've moved toward that dream. That's the point at which most people give up. It's the point at which as we say in the language of the desert, one 'dies of thirst just when the palm trees have appeared on the horizon."

When the boy listened to his heart, that told him his strongest qualities were courage and enthusiasm. Learning from the protagonist in this story, we learn to carry on. 

The boy did not find the treasure at the pyramids, but he found an answer that led him to the treasure. Life is generous to those who pursue  their Personal Legend or Purpose.

The Boy at the Pyramids at Last

Persistence

Our journal topic today is persistence. What helps you to persist toward your goals?

Every generation has music that motivates them to persist toward their goals, to stay the course, to carry on. One of my favorite current singers is Nate Ruess  from the band, Fun. These lyrics say it all. 

"When you're lost and alone, 

or you're sinking like a stone,

carry on.

May your past be the sound, 

of your feet upon the ground

carry on."

In order for us to experience personal or spiritual growth, we must persist in our spiritual practices. When we do not see the thing we long to see, many of us change course, pray for something else, or say "God didn't want me to have it."

The idea that God would not want the best possible life for you, is preposterous! You are the living, breathing expression of the most high God.  God put that dream in your heart in the first place. Carry on with your prayers and meditation. Carry on by surrounding yourself with like-minded people, the ones who see your the infinite nature. Surround yourself with people who won't let you quit until you have achieved your goals or something better. The Center for Spiritual Living Capistrano Valley is such a place.

When I was a child, the motivational song for persistence was Frank Sinatra's "High Hopes."  Whether you relate to being lost and alone or you feel like an ant trying to move a rubber tree plant, you are moving with persistence toward a more abundant life.