Beleaguered but not beaten

It’s inevitable that we’re faced with life’s trials, at times unceasingly, it seems, as they hit our psyche one after another! Could be financial, ill health, relationship differences, deaths, mental stress, psychological trauma, or emotional trauma. It’s natural to feel beleaguered if we’re to cope with a string of sufferings, but being beaten by them could be a worse alternative.

Denial by withdrawing into oneself could only add to feeling a sense of hopelessness, similar to falling into a deep pit that has no escape.

Reality shows that ‘bravehearts’ triumph over those who intensify their misery by going into despair with a probability of ending up beaten, morphing merely into their shell of existence rather than carrying on living by tackling troubles that besiege.

Facing battles alone is challenging, facing them with others can be trying too, with unwanted advice flowing freely from the mouths of those who aren’t particularly concerned or connected in sorting out the issues that plague.

It is tough to go it alone; hence, here’s a nudge instead to pour out our woes into an understanding, trusted listening ear. Overwhelming kindness flows in from unexpected quarters. It may not elicit solutions, but moving along with the tide, empathetic shoulders side by side, will lessen the feeling of being beaten when beleaguered.

Compared to the woes of others, we oftentimes realise how petty ours are. Discarding self-centeredness for selflessness can be a panacea for a worn-out mind, body, heart, and soul.

Getting rid of weariness and apathy with a determination to match the crux of the problem and ride the tide with it will enable and enhance our chances of seeing it through the storm in a calmer manner. Dealing with troubles one day at a time in a practical and patient way does diminish the enormous mountain of beleaguered apparitions that haunt us and prevent their conquering.

Consider the COVID pandemic, the wars, the plagues, and cancers of other kinds interfering with our daily lives, yet in their midst, encouragement abounds from stories about heroes who’ve quelled their fears in real time to stay unbeaten.

Death is a certainty, as is hardship in some way for all of us. Let’s make up our minds when beleaguered by an apparent multitude of marathon-size obstacles to resist being beaten!