As many of you know, I like to watch Asian dramas and movies. Recently I watched a drama where the main female lead was climbing up a long and rugged road full of steps to get to the peak of a mountain (she was obviously not out on a leasurely hike but had troubling things on her mind). However, the climb was long and steep and feeling frustrated and tired, she finally gives up. Her brother suddenly appeared and after a brief conversation about life and death, he convinces her to get to the top together. Once they are at the peak of the mountain, she is overtaken by the beautiful view, and to that her brother says,

How do we admire the view if don’t take the rugged mountain road?

Lost You Forever (Chinese drama)

I liked that scene because it perfectly depicts what I have felt like in instances where tough decisions needed to be made, or the struggles of life seemed harder and longer, and I could hardly see a way out. “I’m overwhelmed” or “I’m sick and tired of this,” or “Can I just give up?” became familiar phrases, whether I internalize them or spoke them out. An interesting fact about these real life sort of meltdowns is that the body becomes just as fatigued as the mind. Have you ever felt that way before?

When I watched the scene played out in the drama, it brought back memories of a time I faced a similar trial. When our struggles become overwhelming to the point where giving up begins to look more desirable than the beautiful unknown that awaits at the end of the journey, we definitely need to take inventory and re-focus on what our purpose was in the first place. Otherwise, we might find ourselves crippled rather than empowered to continue the climb.

So, here’s the thing; life is a hard ascend, but we still need to tackle it. Henceforth, don’t stop half way. At times, you might need to rely on someone else to help you get there. That’s alright, keep moving! The journey is rough and walkway is steep, but the view on top is worth it.