Struggles that lead to victory

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A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. He sat and watched the butterfly struggle to force its body through the little hole. So the man decided to help the butterfly. He snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly emerged easily, but it had a swollen body and small, shrivelled wings. The man expected that the wings would expand but it didn’t happen. The butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling. It could never fly.

Today as we celebrate Diwali, which signifies the glorious end to struggles, it is important to remember that sometimes difficulties are exactly what we need in our lives to enable us to fly. Moreover, the struggles that precede the victory make the fruit sweeter. In fact, they give you the strength to face the test of fire. And it is during the tough phase that you realise how powerful you really are.
Struggle is a way of life and an inherent part of our existence, says lyricist, singer and writer Swanand Kirkire. “It’s in man’s nature to keep struggling. It differs from person to person. My struggle is all about making myself better in whatever I do. It’s a journey to learn and put myself in a better position and I am quite happy with the struggle as in the end it’s worth it.”
Seconds Amandeep Sandhu, author of Sepia Leaves, which gives the account of his fight with Schizophrenia and the stigma attached to it. “A life without struggle would have no structure of coherence. Whatever we experience, we learn, we wish to imbibe, makes sense only when we use it in our life to rise above the struggles life throws. In my case it was dual, like a stick burning on both ends — madness at home and non-acceptance in society. I had to run quickly but carefully and did not have options to lean on anything. It taught me self-reliance and independence. It made me a writer,” says Sandhu, who is ready with his second release, which again tracks the growing up struggles of a Sikh boy.
Jessica Lal’s family had a harrowing time fighting for justice. But it’s not just Lals, who suffered at the hands of fate. It ruined designer Bina Ramani’s reputation for whom it was a lethal blow. She says, “It was tough convincing my dear ones. I could have succumbed to the trauma, but God reminded me that I have a family to support and I just can’t give up like this. So I fought till the end. He told me to draw strength from my inner self and come out victorious. I did.”
Life has been a struggle for Israeli actor Rina Golan, who is in news for her debut book Dear Mister Bollywood. She ran away from home at the age of 17. She is hurt with the way her book has been publicised.
“My book is about following your dreams and never giving up rather than casting couch. Making my place in the world has been tough. However, I feel struggle is a beautiful thing. It activates you at all levels. When you struggle, you come alive. Whereas success is a lazy place that does not allow you to grow. Think of your next goal and chase it. I thank God for all my struggles, hardships and disappointments. It’s those things that my personality and character are made of,” concludes Golan.