The bird that flies.

Yes, it is true that life is challenging and painful, and this is why life, this wonderful physical existence we have been gifted with, is precious and rich; and this is also why it requires a higher mind, a higher person living based on truth and love, to understand why you should see life as what it is and not as what you think it is.  Look, if you see life as what you think it is, as what your thoughts are telling you it is, then you will probably end up suffering in all you do and even killing yourself because of all the enormous stresses weighing you down; however, if you put aside your opinions and immature thoughts about life, and so see it as what really is, then you will definitely thrive and gain the wisdom to move forward even when things seem dark in your path.

Life is like a little child:  If you use violence and try to force your own way, then the child will become resentful and unruly, disobedient and with a vengeful heart towards you and towards others.  But if you use good communication, trust and faith on the child, and, most importantly, patience in the rearing of that same child, then he will become giving and obedient to you, he will do as you say and make life really easy for you.

People adopt certain postures and views of life, either positive or negative and for whatever reason, this process can either blind people in darkness or turn on a powerful light on them, but always remember that life, in its natural or divine context, is pure and innocent like the child; so, it will do based on your thoughts, words, and attitudes, and like the child it will take the course you are telling it to take.  And like the child, life will observe you and see if you give up on it or not; then, if life sees that you give up on it, it will take offense and resentment, it will give you your deserved reward, the reward of someone that gives up and has no faith; but if life sees the patience and faith you have on it, the commanding voice and the deep love, then you will be blessed with great rewards and a life of a great attitude towards you..

The light at the end of the ladder which is your path is always brilliant and refreshing, but we cannot see it sometimes, or even feel it, because we let darkness, knowingly or unknowingly, overwhelm us with its presence.  And darkness always lives within us because it is that negative part in our human psyches, that challenging part which gives worth to that physical existence I was mentioning at the start; on the other hand, we have been given powerful light within us as well, to battle and extinguish that same darkness from affecting us to the point of breakdown–i.e., because our bodies and minds are like very sophisticated computers, they can either run with power and efficiency, or breakdown with poisonous viruses and lack of good maintenance of the software. 

You are the maintenance of your own sophisticated computer, so it is up to you! 

In order not to give up and let darkness take you over in life, you MUST become aware of your thoughts and emotions, not let thoughts and emotions dictate your existence but raise above them and rule them like a god rules over lesser beings.  By becoming proactive and practical, by stepping out of your funk and out of your own biased opinions and narrow views of the sadness and pain in life, you become truly aware and faithful and patient towards life; consequently, life will become your best friend and you will start seeing opportunities and reasons to feel happy every single day (some may call this blessings, but in essence it is just that you are following the Universal Law and not going against it).

Being creative and engaging in activities that create good thoughts and feelings in us, specially when darkness and misery knock our psychological door, is the biggest and most important tool life, in its wisdom, has given us to battle these demons of darkness.  This is not about denying pain and misery, or not feeling the ugly things about life, but this is about not letting darkness and misery consume you.  This is about the bird that flies into the vastness of the blue sky, and not about the bird of broken wings that lies in the dirt waiting to be trampled by someone.

As Napoleon Hill said, and it is in fact a powerful writing hanging on my wall which I contemplate every single day, “A Quitter Never Wins.  A WINNER Never Quits.” 

And I never give up.  I always steer to win.