So I took the time to take a leisurely drive yesterday through the wonderful American Fork canyon. It has been months since my car last traversed the twisted road and with winter quickly approaching I felt like experiencing a brief moment of nature.
The wonderful thing about the canyon is that you immediately enter a new world. With cliffs, streams, overhanging trees, lakes...the trail is never ending and full of possibilities. More importantly there is no cell phone service...which means I was completely alone. Now, regarding my last blog entry, there are some instances where being all alone is wonderful. When in nature and in need of a time out alone time is almost necessary.
While driving up the canyon I always enjoy being able to just think about life and things that I can use for metaphors, analogies, and topics that I can ponder and write about. Today's venture resulted in a few topics: cracking the ice, clearing the water, and finally the topic for today's entry - persistence against resistance.
Sometimes in life you will hear people say that 'persistence is key'. What does that mean? No, seriously...they always say it in the most awkward moments and none of those moments ever seem applicable to the saying. Other times you will people say something like 'resist the temptation'. My response to this is how do you know that I am tempted and what things tempt me?
I decided to put my own theories and thoughts into these 'sayings'.
There are moments where being persistent can open doors and opportunities...there are times when being persistent can help battle addictions, problems in life, etc...there are moments where being persistent is the only option.
Resistance is equally powerful. Being resistant can prevent possible dangers...being resistant can save friendships and family ties...
With both words being equally as positive why would I place them in a sentence opposing one another? The answer - sometimes in life we encounter situations where people will 'resist' what is necessary and sometimes people will persist when you they shouldn't. In this way you always need to ask yourself what you are resisting or what you are persisting.
Persisting that your child gets good grades seems positive but sometimes it can hurt the relationship based on the circumstances of the child. Resisting against your parents because they are controlling your teenage life can make it seem like they are only trying to sabotage your youth and will create a sense of hate. Both can damage loving relationships.
On a different scale, and possibly more applicable, is the correlation of this concept with friendships. Constantly bantering your friends to act one way...preaching your ideals to them in hopes of 'saving' or helping'...these seem perfectly acceptable but they aren't. In what world does someone want to have a close friend tell them that they are living completely wrong? In what world does someone want a friend that constantly puts them down? The more you persist the more they will resist until there is nothing left but hurt feelings and broken friendships.
Now while I have mostly stated negative situations there are exceptions. You will eventually run across a situation where as hard as it is you need to persist or you need to resist. A friend who shuts the world out due to a bad relationship needs to have a persistent friend that wants to be just that, a friend. A kid who struggles with drugs needs to resist the habits that can potentially end his life.
Sometimes we need to choose our battles and sometimes we need to lose. As individuals we will always have our own thoughts and motives. We will always see the situation as we see fit. We need to learn when and where to persist and when to resist. There is never one without the other. If there isn't resistance then there was never persistence...if there was never persistence then there was never any resistance.
Analyze what course you take. Sometimes what you think is right....is wrong. Sometimes what you think is wrong....is right. Sometimes what you think is true...is false. Sometimes what you think is false...is true. Sometimes when you persist...you should resist. Sometimes when you resist...you should persist. Be careful with what you choose for you never know when it can drastically hurt you...or miraculously help.
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