The world has been in a state of crisis lately, and many people are having difficulties finding the answers to their problems. This article will give some advice for those who are trying to find ways in which they can overcome these difficult times.
“Overcoming obstacles in life quotes” is a post that contains wisdom from people who have overcome difficult times. The quotes are meant to help you overcome your own difficulties. Read more in detail here: overcoming obstacles in life quotes.
I threw up in a plastic bag on Monday.
There isn’t a pleasant way to put it. There’s no nice or polished way to convey it.
I’d just begun using a new medication to treat a spastic colon that I’d had for 10 years on and off. The drug promised to be a game-changer.
Instead, it aggravated my illness.
I was driving to an appointment when I felt an overwhelming, urgent, and uncontrolled desire to use the restroom. There were no highway exits, public facilities, or petrol stations for miles in either direction on that stretch of road. I didn’t think I’d be able to make it. So I did the only thing that came to me. I parked on the shoulder, turned on my hazard lights, and went about my business.
That narrative is told for a purpose.
In this day and age of Facebook personas, it’s all too tempting to believe that someone else’s life is as problem-free as their online profile claims. I’m a New York Times bestselling novelist in my instance. I’m a master’s degree holder. I have a wonderful wife and family, and I’ve traveled extensively over the globe. I’m an enviable guy if you just know me from my bio.
But here’s the truth in its entirety. I can’t seem to overcome one little aspect of my life—in my instance, a medical weakness—no matter how hard I try.
I’m sure you could say something similar about yourself in your most honest times. You’re a competent and self-assured individual. Even so, there’s one area of your life where you’re suffering or weak, where you lack control, or where you just can’t seem to get over. Superman, too, had his kryptonite. Achilles had his Achilles’ heel.
Perhaps it’s a shattered relationship. Or a traumatic event such as sorrow, sickness, or financial difficulties. Perhaps you’re dealing with feelings of rage, meaninglessness, or despair, or you’re addicted to something, or you’re sad or exhausted, or you can’t find employment, or you work too hard and get paid much less than you’re worth. Perhaps you’re just exhausted and in need of a break.
Let’s hope for the best. I was quite unhappy when I pulled off the road last Monday. I was sweating and shouting, humiliated and frightened that a motorcycle officer would come up behind me and inquire what I was doing. I despised my existence.
But one word sprang to mind at that very time. It’s a strong word that encouraged me not to give up no matter what life threw at me.
NUTS!
Here’s the backstory of the term.
Allied forces were tasked with defending the line at Bastogne, a small Belgian town, in late November 1944. The news spread quickly that Hitler was pressing hard and fast in a last-ditch attempt to turn the war tide in his favor. Bastogne was strategically important because to the town’s seven crossroads, which were critical for the transportation of soldiers and munitions.
Trucks were used to transport the Allied troops to Bastogne. In the mud and cold rain, they trekked out into the forest, formed a perimeter around the town, dug foxholes, and waited. There was a scarcity of food, winter clothes, medical supplies, and ammunition. Some of the males wore no footwear at all. To keep warm, they wrapped their feet in burlap sacks.
The Germans dug in and waited in a bigger ring around the Allied soldiers. Snow started to fall. The temperature dropped dramatically. Belgium had its coldest winter in 30 years. The Allied troops protecting Bastogne were encircled.
The shelling started after that. The blood began to flow. Both sides had men who were hit by gunshots, lost limbs, and killed.
Weeks passed with little change. Christmas was approaching. The two forces were so close together that Allied soldiers could hear their opponents across the line singing Silent Night in German while gathered in their foxholes at night.
General Anthony McAuliffe, commander of the 101st Airborne Division, released a flyer to his soldiers on Christmas Eve, 1944. “What’s festive about all this, you ask?” wrote the general under the heading “Merry Christmas.” We’re in a battle. It’s chilly outside. “We’re not at home.” He went on to commend Allied forces for fending off all the Germans could hurl at them. Then he told me about an incident that occurred two days before.
McAuliffe received word from the German army commander on December 22. The German commander provided a grim picture of the Allied situation, insisting that there was only one way to rescue the Allied forces from destruction.
Surrender.
When McAuliffe read the requests, he became enraged, then issued a one-word reply to the German commander.
NUTS!
“It’s the same of saying, ‘Go to hell,’” the messenger was told when he requested for further information.
So, how does reminiscing about Christmas 1944 affect your life?
I went to the mall with my family last evening to do some Christmas shopping. We entered The Gap, and I spotted a newly published poster of Michael J. Fox and his wife Tracy Pollan on the wall. They were putting together a promotional piece to promote the shop.
Michael and Tracy were engulfed in one other’s arms. Tracy’s back was to the camera, but Michael was looking right at it. He had wrinkles behind his eyes. Some wrinkles from the passage of time. Some came from giggling. Some are based on personal experience. Some are the result of fights.
And there I was, staring at that poster.
I gazed at it for quite some time.
Michael J. Fox has been fighting Parkinson’s disease for years, much like Muhammad Ali. It’s still an incurable condition, and Michael’s symptoms have only become worse over time.
But there was Michael on a Gap banner.
I’m still at it.
He still loves his wife.
Still putting up a fight.
I’m still calling it NUTS!
Whatever flaw or difficulty you’re dealing with, there’s always a dark alternative to fall beneath the weight of life’s challenges. When you’re unhappy, you’re inclined to give up because of the hardship.
That is why remembering Christmas 1944 may have a profound impact on your life. It reminds you that you keep going even when life throws you a curveball, even if you’re battling in a cold wilderness, even if you have Parkinson’s, even if you’re pooping in a bag beside the motorway.
You refuse to give up.
NUTS, you say!
What strategies have you used to get through a challenging situation?
What strategies have you used to get through a challenging situation?
Marcus Brotherton contributes to Art of Manliness on a regular basis. Visit www.marcusbrotherton.com to read his blog, Men Who Lead Well.
Joe Muccia provided the photos for this article.
“Short quotes about overcoming obstacles” are a great way to help you overcome difficulties. We have compiled a list of some of the best quotes from WWII leaders and thinkers to help you get through difficult times. Reference: short quotes about overcoming obstacles.
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