Strength In Your Past Self

Once upon a time, not terribly long ago, in a land not far away, I sat on a northbound train in the early morning. The lovely shiny sun was rising up over the eastward mountains, and all surrounding passengers were anywhere between 75-100% asleep, but I was 100% awake, because the thing I wanted to do rather than sleep was write down the list of all boys upon whom I’d ever crushed in my younger years. Needless or needful to say, it was a very fun brain exercise to do; it took much enjoyable mental dust bunny extermination to rediscover the memory lanes of my history, and thence travel upon each.

I had a particular profound reason for the reminiscing on the train, besides the mere desire to indulge in nostalgia. I compiled the list so I could look back on all the times it was okay that a crush’s head got chopped off by the guillotine of fate. In other words, every time I had to “let him go,” the sun rose again the next day, and I still had a pulse. I now know that every time a heartache may say “hola” in my future, I’ll certainly be briefly sad, but I’ll also be able to find strength in my past self. I’ll be able to remember that my past self had the power to conquer letdown time and time again, and I’ll know that I can conquer once more.

That’s how it can be for all of us, I think, not just when crushes are concerned, but also when any other type of letdown is the subject. If you’re experiencing a hardship now, try rediscovering and travelling a memory lane that included another hardship, and remember that you overcame it. If such a memory lane is nowhere in sight, and you’re not sure how it’s possible to come off conqueror in your situation, please know that you are not condemned to weaklingism forevermore. Now can be the time that you turn to God—your Heavenly Father—who loves you. Talk with Him in calm earnest, keep your faith, maintain your communion with Him, let Him help you along your way, and you’ll see that you really can be the gladiator who doesn’t get eaten by lions.