![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sobriqueI managed to catch thought for the day, on BBC Radio 4 this morning. I don't usually, as that 10 minutes of sleep usually calls to me too strongly. But today, we had Rabbi Lionel Blue, giving something to think about.
One of the things he said struck me: "Don't pray for your difficulties to go away. Pray for the courage to face them".
Now, whatever your stance on prayer, the sentiment is one I'd echo.
The measure of a Man* is not in the difficulties he faces, but in how he faces them.
(![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
theferrett made a post on the subject a while back, How do you grow up in today's society and part II.)
It leads me back to a question I posed some time back. When does childhood end?. I think I'm starting to reach an answer. Childhood ends, on the day where you're prepared to stand alone against whatever challenges life brings. On the day, when whatever comes, you are prepared to face it.
Life brings many challenges, from our own personal weaknesses, to world changing catastrophies. But the 'adults' are the ones who will stand unflinching before them. Ironically, it's the smallest end of the scale that can be hardest to face. The fact that we are fallible. That we do make mistakes. And that in the end of all things, we may just not be the person we think we are. And it's that that's the hardest to stare down, in the the hard cold light of day.
*I don't use it in the gender perjorative sense, but in the distinction between Men and boys, you could as easily use Woman, except I'm trying to bring forth the difference between 'male' and 'man'
One of the things he said struck me: "Don't pray for your difficulties to go away. Pray for the courage to face them".
Now, whatever your stance on prayer, the sentiment is one I'd echo.
The measure of a Man* is not in the difficulties he faces, but in how he faces them.
(
theferrett made a post on the subject a while back, How do you grow up in today's society and part II.)It leads me back to a question I posed some time back. When does childhood end?. I think I'm starting to reach an answer. Childhood ends, on the day where you're prepared to stand alone against whatever challenges life brings. On the day, when whatever comes, you are prepared to face it.
Life brings many challenges, from our own personal weaknesses, to world changing catastrophies. But the 'adults' are the ones who will stand unflinching before them. Ironically, it's the smallest end of the scale that can be hardest to face. The fact that we are fallible. That we do make mistakes. And that in the end of all things, we may just not be the person we think we are. And it's that that's the hardest to stare down, in the the hard cold light of day.
*I don't use it in the gender perjorative sense, but in the distinction between Men and boys, you could as easily use Woman, except I'm trying to bring forth the difference between 'male' and 'man'
