Warrior is a word I am not especially fond of. It gets used way too often for everything from surviving a hangnail to getting through the work week and making it to Friday. There are those who truly are warriors, we know them. There are also many great words of wisdom and sentiment about warriorship. This is one of those and I thought I'd expound on it.
No one is born a warrior • I do believe though, that one is born with traits that enable one to have what it takes to become a warrior. But life also can have a way of shaping one into a warrior, if necessary, depending on various factors including resolve, tenacity and grit.
You choose to be one when you refuse to stay seated • Sit down! Don't cause problems. Just do what you're told. Sometimes it is easier to just comply. Sometimes not, depending. Once when I was a few years into my present employment, I was asked to cover a class. I am not qualified to sub so I declined. The admin strongly urged me to do it but I maintained steadfast that I would not. He had no other choice but to figure out another option for his dilemma. With the discussion done, I started down the hall back to my work area. The secretary chased me down and insisted that I should not even think of telling an admin no. "Don't make waves" she said. It really made her uneasy. Oh well.
To have the chutzpah to stand when they all want you to remain seated may be warrior-like somehow, I guess. My thought process at the time was not to be put in a position that I was not certified to do. If anything happed I would be up shit creek. Legally he could not make me do this and we both knew it. Knowledge can really be a great equalizer. The more you know the more you can back your stand.
You choose to be one when you refuse to back down • Again, backing down depends on many factors. Is it worth it? How significant is it for you to come out on top? Fighting over which movie to go to... is it really that important? Or do you just give in and watch the movie your buddy want to see because it is about spending time together and not really the movie?
So, another story. I was waiting alone at Sears one November to pick up family photos (this was like 30 years ago, Sears use to do photos). A big, rough, mean-looking dude was threatening to beat one of his girlfriend's very young kids. There were 4 really small ones, from toddler to about age 5 or so. He stood up and took off his belt. I spoke up and the only thing I could think of to say was, "Sir, I'm not going to just stand here and let you use that belt on those kids." Of course the adults didn't not like my interference and let me know in no uncertain terms. Now, I had no plan and no idea what I would do, but still I could not back down. The kids were just being little kids, singing and climbing off and on their chairs. Nothing so horrendous that constituted a beating from this guy with a belt, not that anything would. But confronting him was the one of the scariest things I've ever done. This put me in a position to watch my back for several years afterward.
The actions and reactions we choose to take will always have results. Even if that result puts us in a position to keep our guard up for a long time after. Or the result can cause us to loose friendships or family.
Standing up after getting knocked down • With this one there isn't a 'depends' option. There is no other option than to get back up. It may take time. It will hurt like hell, like your guts have been ripped out. Like there could never be sunshine and happiness ever again. More tears and sorrow than you ever thought possible, but you have to get up and get through.
Every. Single. Time.
No matter what.
Not all scars are visible.
That. Is. A. True. Warrior.
Using the terminology 'warrior' means different things to everyone. I chose the word to use in the name of my business, Subtle Warrior. Even though it is overused for irrelevant shit, it still has meaning. I wrote about why I chose the name Subtle Warrior. You can read about it here.
People are born but some are endowed with something... character, disposition, nature...whatever- that places them in an unusual position to be kinda elite in many ways.
Or just maybe all those traits aren't part of it at all. Maybe, just maybe, they just do what they do because it's the right thing to do.
For whatever reason.
You choose to be one when you refuse to stay seated • Sit down! Don't cause problems. Just do what you're told. Sometimes it is easier to just comply. Sometimes not, depending. Once when I was a few years into my present employment, I was asked to cover a class. I am not qualified to sub so I declined. The admin strongly urged me to do it but I maintained steadfast that I would not. He had no other choice but to figure out another option for his dilemma. With the discussion done, I started down the hall back to my work area. The secretary chased me down and insisted that I should not even think of telling an admin no. "Don't make waves" she said. It really made her uneasy. Oh well.
To have the chutzpah to stand when they all want you to remain seated may be warrior-like somehow, I guess. My thought process at the time was not to be put in a position that I was not certified to do. If anything happed I would be up shit creek. Legally he could not make me do this and we both knew it. Knowledge can really be a great equalizer. The more you know the more you can back your stand.
You choose to be one when you refuse to back down • Again, backing down depends on many factors. Is it worth it? How significant is it for you to come out on top? Fighting over which movie to go to... is it really that important? Or do you just give in and watch the movie your buddy want to see because it is about spending time together and not really the movie?
So, another story. I was waiting alone at Sears one November to pick up family photos (this was like 30 years ago, Sears use to do photos). A big, rough, mean-looking dude was threatening to beat one of his girlfriend's very young kids. There were 4 really small ones, from toddler to about age 5 or so. He stood up and took off his belt. I spoke up and the only thing I could think of to say was, "Sir, I'm not going to just stand here and let you use that belt on those kids." Of course the adults didn't not like my interference and let me know in no uncertain terms. Now, I had no plan and no idea what I would do, but still I could not back down. The kids were just being little kids, singing and climbing off and on their chairs. Nothing so horrendous that constituted a beating from this guy with a belt, not that anything would. But confronting him was the one of the scariest things I've ever done. This put me in a position to watch my back for several years afterward.
The actions and reactions we choose to take will always have results. Even if that result puts us in a position to keep our guard up for a long time after. Or the result can cause us to loose friendships or family.
Standing up after getting knocked down • With this one there isn't a 'depends' option. There is no other option than to get back up. It may take time. It will hurt like hell, like your guts have been ripped out. Like there could never be sunshine and happiness ever again. More tears and sorrow than you ever thought possible, but you have to get up and get through.
Every. Single. Time.
No matter what.
Not all scars are visible.
That. Is. A. True. Warrior.
Using the terminology 'warrior' means different things to everyone. I chose the word to use in the name of my business, Subtle Warrior. Even though it is overused for irrelevant shit, it still has meaning. I wrote about why I chose the name Subtle Warrior. You can read about it here.
People are born but some are endowed with something... character, disposition, nature...whatever- that places them in an unusual position to be kinda elite in many ways.
Or just maybe all those traits aren't part of it at all. Maybe, just maybe, they just do what they do because it's the right thing to do.
For whatever reason.
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