Strength / Krag



Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” 
Mahatma Gandhi

Showing strength will differ widely from person to person and from type of strength to type of strength. The point is that one person may have a stronger tolerance for pain than another. Strength not only lies in muscle power. Some have strength of wisdom, another strength of courage, some have both. Someone else’s strength of temperance may outshine another’s strength of justice!

Gandhi reminded us, when it comes to strength, that it would be a healthy practice to be reminded that the strongest might sometimes weaken, just as the wisest might err at times. Gibran said that it is out of suffering that some of the strongest souls have emerged; he says that the most massive characters are seared with scars. This is true, but it is however not only in times of adversity that our strengths come to the fore. Even though Napoleon Bonaparte was of the opinion that strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle, he missed the truth that some find their strength through other mediums, and not only through the mediums of effort and struggle.

Some, for example, may find strength in standing and fighting for somebody else. Someone like Lao-Tzu was of the opinion that being deeply loved by someone else can give you immense strength. These are all true, each one finds his/her strength in a way suited to him/her. Where do you tap your strength from?

Only you know from where you obtain your strength,
Some you embrace, others you keep at arm’s length.
Gandhi’s view I want to instil,
that strength comes from a resolute will!
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Krag kom nie vanuit jou fisiese kapasiteit nie. Dit kom vanuit ‘n ontembare wilskrag.” 
Mahatma Gandhi

Inderdaad, krag lê nie net in spierkrag nie. Die mate waartoe jy jou innerlike krag wys, sal verskil van persoon tot persoon en van die tipe krag ter sprake. Een persoon sal ‘n sterker verdraagsaamheid vir pyn as ‘n andere hê, terwyl andere weer kan floreer onder druk, terwyl andere nie kan nie. Sommige het wysheidskrag, andere weer kragdadige moed, sommige het beide. Een se krag vir matigheid mag weer ‘n andere se krag vir geregtigheid oorskadu!

Gandhi herinner ons daaraan, wanneer dit by krag kom, dat dit ‘n gesonde praktyk sal wees om te onthou dat die sterkste verstand soms swakheid toon, en dat die mees wyse persoon ook soms verkeerd kan wees. Gibran sê weer dat dit uit swaarkry is dat sommige van die sterkste siele na vore kom. Hy noem ook dat sommige van die sterkste karakters oortrek is met letsels. Dit is waar, maar dit is nie net in tye van teenspoed dat ons krag na vore kom nie. Selfs al was Napoleon Bonaparte van mening dat sterkte en groei net deur voortdurende moeite en stryd verkry word, dink ek dat hy die punt miskyk dat sommige mense hul krag deur ander mediums bekom.

Sommige mense mag byvoorbeeld hul krag in die staan en veg vir iemand anders vind. Iemand soos Lao-Tzu was van die opininie dat die blote opregte liefde van iemand anders, jou ontsettend baie innerlike krag kan gee. Hierdie is alles so waar, en elkeen vind sy/haar sterkte iewers. Onthou waar jy jou innerlike sterkte en krag vandaan kry, en koester dit, want daarsonder kan jy maklik knak onder die druk van hierdie wêreld.

Net jy weet vanwaar jy jou innerlike krag verkry,
Sommige omhels jy, teenoor andere is jy kil.
Onthou egter wat Gandhi hier bo sê vir jou en vir my,
Dat krag voortspruit vanuit ‘n vasberade wil!
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