Do you recall almost fifteen years ago the famous game “Stand!”? We had picked it out from the memorable TV series “Ευτυχισμένοι Μαζί” (meaning “Happy Together”) and it was a sensation. I remember as a child wonderful settings, most of them embarrassing; but is there any childhood without embarrassment for the absurd things we did? Well, not.
We used to play games carefree, but we were not aware that “Stand!” was actually a rehearsal for our adulthood, when our strengths are being tested out on a daily basis. Of course, nowadays, no one forces us to stand still in whatever posture we unluckily brought ourselves in. The game’s rules are expanded, “Stand in the public transport (tram, commuter rail/ suburban railway, the –non-existent here- subway)”, “Stand the night out with your friends and enemies”, “stand, stand, stand!”.
According to the Greek dictionary, “persistence” is a noun of feminine gender, and it is the power to handle adverse conditions, the patience, the resistance to decaying… the resistance of a body to opposite forces and the tendency of retaining its present condition. The word “endurance” is a synonym.
But what happens when we can’t stand it anymore? Everyone has their limits; sometimes we approach them, others we touch them and others we exceed them. It might be useful getting over them, discovering new limits and extending your persistence, since it contributes to development. It might prove torturing and you could unexpectedly “break”, like those very thin and fragile tiny sea shells found on the shore.
Although discovering new aspects of yourself is a fundamental ingredient of your existence on earth, it is exhausting being forced to find new aspects unceasingly. Being part of a society which provokes you to stand, because everyone does, to endure patiently what your boss, your relationship, your family, the passer-by throws (sometimes, but not always a matter of life and death obstacles), there comes the last straw and on the sudden a house on the top of a hill sounds like a charming idea.
There were always the ones losing, when we were young. Many times, the same kids would win, they would even be champions of “Stand”, but they would also lose sometimes, until all of us have ultimately won or lost. Can you see this process of recycling the game in our adulthood as well? The difference lies in choosing; back then it was our choice, now we are forced to play, as if we are playing in Squid Game.
Much more than a ponytail (please, don’t ask) are at stake right now, and a fog of stress covers us even better than an invisible cloak.
“Stand!”
Where are you? At home? On the bus? At work? At school? Somewhere else where you are supposed to go? So, just stand. Because everybody should play this game.
The game… Do you remember when I mentioned above that it is the recycling of our childhood game? A random advice I could give is: life looks like “stand” due to its rapid speeds, ambitions and obligations, in a way that you feel like Atlas holding up the world on your shoulders. However, “stand” is only a game. It is a tricky one, with complicated rules and risks. All of us will win and lose immeasurably. I am sure that every chance will lead to a different path, either the same as the previous one or the complete opposite. And that’s okay.
Let’s make up our minds, we can’t always stand. And that’s okay.
We can’t always win. That’s also okay.
Let’s lose sometimes, even if the bitterness of losing makes the sweetness of winning more intense (unless you prefer salty, then sorry).
Hold as much as you can for as long as you can and if you can a bit more, that’s perfect, you construct new limits and develop your persistence.
If you can’t, that’s also fine; listen to your needs and move forward.
Whoever you face is part of the same game, but on a different level, so instead of arguing with yourself, your own pieces and the others’, stand generously. If you notice anyone not standing, offer your own basket of kind persistence and allow them to “breathe” some of your kindness and create their new, future limits.
And when your time comes in this circle, the persistence of those around you will replace the invisible cloak and you will stand as well.