We Win Some, We Lose Some and We Snooze Some

A while back, a close friend had told me that my life would always be interesting because I have a passion and a dream to fulfil it, which translates to me always having something to fight for. This statement has stuck with me, especially in my low times because it is very true. When things get tough, I think about the destination I have set for myself and it gives me the strength to overcome the obstacles in my path.

Something that I have come to realize very recently though is irrespective of the journey a person chooses to embark in life, there are many battles that each of us has to fight. And despite our best efforts, we win some, we lose some and we snooze some. Now the first two is pretty self-explanatory and the reality of life and circumstances but the third option is what I wish to share with you today.

For some people, life is a constant uphill battle; it could be due to a social disadvantage, financial challenges, belonging to a marginalized group, intrapersonal struggles, or as is true in my case, a disability. Now when I say this, I am very mindful of the fact that I come from a place of privilege in that I have had the most enriching and encouraging support system and not everyone has that. And yet, I have had my fair share of situations that have made me question myself and my talents and held me back due to other people’s prejudices. But these same factors have also pushed me to be where I am today and be this bold and independent person that I am.

What this has cost me is a skill of analysis and caution. For every roadblock that I have encountered, there have been times where I have been able to take a judgement call on whether to fight the battle or just let it be. This is not with regards to the essentials that ignoring which might hinder my progress, but for the ones I call collateral. Sometimes, you have to take stock of your priorities and decide what is more important to you and whether you even have enough emotional resources to engage in a conflict or even an easy encounter simply because something someone is saying or doing is logistically wrong.

There come moments when you look at the bigger picture or even just the momentary state of mind you are in and ask yourself, “Is this worth the fight or could I put the same effort into something more meaningful?” and that’s when you choose to snooze. Just like when you are not ready to wake up just yet in the morning and you snooze your alarm to give you a few more golden minutes of rest before conquering the day, you are allowed to not engage with and wrestle against every demon that tries to stop you, as long as they do not change the course of your voyage.