Some are Strong

Today is the death anniversary of one of my favourite authors, Earnest Hemingway. I wanted to write something cheerful today, but a quote i read today commemorating his anniversary, pulled me towards itself like a magnet. " The world breaks everyone, and afterwards, some are strong at the broken places." Does hurt and pain makes us stronger? depepnds on what we are made of. some people are impervious like granite, some porous like sandstone, some melt away like chalkstone.Truth makes us tough, strong, our belief in our values makes us able to withstand loss, hurt, disappointment, misfortune. But what are the broken places ? to me, they are our experiences. Surviving a loss makes us used to loss, and maybe, if we get out of it with our integrity intact, it makes us strong enough to withstand a bigger loss , a bigger catastrophe, a bigger misfortune. Our experiences are the sum total of our gain on this earth, our experiences and actions. But what hurts us most. . Standing fast with our beliefs or staying in the comfort zone of the structure that we are born into, which lets us just flow with the predetermined course of things? If we go with the flow, we never learn to swim on our own. never gaining the strength to think and act on our own, decide what to believe in, what not to believe in, how to live one's life. But going against the tide damages us more..but makes us stronger at the same time. I was born in a privileged home, with a very sheltered upbringing, but in the course of my life I had to take so much pain, so much disappointment, that now I look back and wonder how I could sustain what i did. I was not this strong. It is only the Grace of God which sustained me. If i can survive with so much , I am sure anybody can. I am a weak person, but still I chose to go on, not give up, because nobody in the world has the right or prerogative to tell you, that you are not good enough, that you are bad. Those who say it should look at their own weaknesses first, and then brand or judge others.. We all have faults. It is for God, not human beings to decide who deserves what, who is good and who is bad. The more judgemental one becomes, the more hurt comes ones own way. And those whom we judge so gloatingly, grow stronger and are blessed more and more. My first marriage taught me lots of lessons in what not to do. All that I disliked about my ex spouse I learnt to take out of my life, like self righteousness, manipulation,false pride,selfishness and especially rudeness and loudness, among other stuff. I am basically hot tempered, but now my elder daughter gets frustrated why I never seem to get angry, whatever happens, why I do not fight even when the occasion calls for it. Is patience also a manifestation of becoming stronger at the broken places? It seems like it. Suffering also makes one more thankful and appreciative of what one does have,because one knows that it could get worse:) The ability to appreciate and value the good things and people in your life is one og the greatest blessings a person can have. the world is a cruel place, where we compete with nature and ourselves each day. One gets broken and one is supposed to get hurt. But what one does with the hurt and pain is what makes the biggest difference.If one spreads goodness in return for the pain that one gets, how much better can life be for people around us. And to me, the caring person is the strongest, not the proudest one.