“The strongest people are not those who show strength in front of the world but those who fight and win battles that others do not know anything about.”
Jonathan Harnisch, The Brutal Truth
Dear one,
Strength is such a funny thing. Maybe it would be better if I said that the way we perceive strength is funny. When we think “strong,” most of our minds immediately flash to bodybuilders posing or lifting heavy things. But there is so much more to strength than the physical.
My granny was every bit of 5’2″ on a tiny frame. She had to have help getting a Dutch oven out of the pantry, but that wasn’t where her strengths were. Granny went through a lot of difficulty and pain in her lifetime, but none of it ever took her down. Her resilience and strength allowed her to keep going despite the obstacles. If you weren’t involved, you would never have known the fights she was navigating because, as she said, “My troubles are my burden.”
I think my granny’s example went a long way toward informing the man I became. I also fight silently more often than not, though I have taught myself to ask for help when it becomes necessary. I hope that’s a lesson you learn as well.
Never forget that I love you, and that excludes no one.
Love,
