An egg shell or an iron shield?

Part i

How we mistakenly think we are strong while a simple illness can keep us in bed for days or an unexpected tragic event can break our backs. When our lives are at their prime, we believe that nothing can beat us. We forget about our frail bodies and fragile hearts when our blessings; either good health, young age, stable life, faithful company, etc., go uninterrupted for a continuous period of time. We get fooled by the aura that shines from within, get used to its warmth and grow accustomed to its light. We take the beautiful sides of our lives for granted. We race to beat time, our hearts seem to be able to encompass the world. There is no limit to what we think we can reach. Nothing can stop this overflowing wild river of strength.. We are then, unbeatable. How foolishly wrong we are!

And then, all of a sudden, when least expected, a test comes knocking. A blessing is taken away, or a calamity befalls to interrupt the smooth false stability. We drift to the other side of the river. We fall for the idea of being weak by seeing that we cannot take it any longer. The aura fades away, and we are left in a dark cold bleakness when nothing is attainable. The easiest of things are now very hard, everything seems to hurt, all things take too much time and effort. All the stories of glory, all the vivid dreams, all the races, are forgotten, with painful traces of how beautiful things used to be. All the strength that we thought was inherent in us fails us completely, and we think that life has decided to give us a frowning face for good. This pain cannot go, this wound will never heal, this test is too much for me to handle, it is over for me... But we are wrong again.

When we fall prey to these two forms of illusionary strength/weakness, our falls are usually very steep. In the recovering process, when still fragile, we start advancing in caution. The hole we were imprisoned in is not too far behind, and the scars of our wounds are still visible. Sometimes then, we can see for a while who we really are; a blend of weakness and strength. We come to realise that we cannot beat the world, yet we cannot allow it to defeat us and bring us to our knees. We are not of supernatural powers, nor feeble helpless creatures. We are God's marvellous creation; the mysterious secret of the universe lies in this miraculous being that is called humans. We live to brag with our strength, but when life breaks us we are humbled with the knowledge of who we really are deep inside.

Yet, though this is very hard; easier said than done: we should try hard not allow fake strength to blind us, or fake weakness to break us. When strong, let us remember our weaknesses and our falls; our reality, and when broken let the traces of the glory that used to be and the beauty that surely lies ahead break through and set us free. No one can protect you when your strength fails you, and no one can preserve it for you forever. No one can lift you up when you are broken, except your own hands. God is here, hope is here, and we are still here.