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| The Real Fighter: Where True Strength Lies |
The Real Fighter: Where True Strength Lies
We live in a world brimming with potential, yet all too often, we find ourselves caught in the mire of pointless conflicts and squabbles. Precious time and energy, which could be channeled into growth and progress, are instead dissipated in baseless arguments, enmities, and animosities. Sometimes, these arise from minor disagreements over obligations; at other times, they seem to stem from a fundamental need in some to impose their will and opinions on others, despite perhaps struggling with their own life's trajectory.
It's a curious paradox – individuals facing their own challenges often seem most determined to dictate the paths of others, frequently attributing their rigid perspectives to the wisdom of age or tradition. Yet, perhaps the most crucial understanding needed, especially across generations, is that genuine forward movement comes from clearing the path, not blocking it. Ego, stubbornness, arrogance, and a lack of willingness to understand should not become shackles on the potential of others. True maturity lies in acknowledging one's own shortcomings and failures, taking responsibility for them, and refraining from burdening others with the weight of our own stumbles.
Diversity in all its forms – be it territorial, linguistic, racial, regional, or generational – is a fundamental beauty of the human experience and the world itself. This extends to the diversity of thought and opinion. Rather than viewing differing perspectives as threats, we should assess them based on the criteria of right and wrong, rather than through the narrow lens of personal likes and dislikes. If discerning right from wrong in a matter proves difficult, perhaps the most professional and wise approach is to admit that limitation openly or, at the very least, maintain a position of silence and neutrality.
Conflict, particularly within human relationships, is rarely the true solution to problems. It's a corrosive force that erodes understanding and breeds resentment. However, if the inclination to "fight" is irrepressible, perhaps we need to redefine what it means to be a "real fighter."
A real fighter isn't defined by their ability to vanquish others in argument or physical confrontation. Their true strength is revealed in their thinking, their strategies, and their approach to challenges. The real fight isn't against people; it's against confronting situations and difficult circumstances. This is the fight that demands resilience, requiring one to navigate nerve-wracking hardships, weather merciless storms, and cross difficult gorges where merely escaping feels like a miracle.
Engaging in conflict with people out of fear or frustration with a situation is counterproductive. While you might temporarily silence dissent, you invariably escalate underlying tensions, cultivating a breeding ground for hatred and rebellion that will inevitably surface with greater intensity. Allowing mere differences of opinion to ignite disputes would leave no relationship untouched, leading to a world where animosity reigns supreme.
Such persistent conflict leads to a breaking point where relationships fray, bitterness takes root, and the weight of resentment becomes an unbearable burden, stealing peace and making life itself seem joyless.
The alternative, the path of the real fighter, is clear. Instead of fighting with people, fight beside them. Champion their rights, stand in their defense against external harm, and approach disagreements with politeness and a focus on resolution, not vengeance. This is the rational foundation of true strength – an enduring principle that remains constant regardless of changing times or circumstances. This is the mark of the real fighter.
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The Real Fighter's Stance
We drift, we fret, in fleeting time,
On baseless squabbles, senseless rhyme.
Such wasted fire, such precious cost,
On phantom battles, time is lost.
Some conjure storms from faintest breeze,
To bend the will, bring others to their knees.
With inner world in disarray,
They seek to chart another's way.
The elder hand, perhaps holds tight,
Ignoring futures burning bright.
Let not your ego, dark and deep,
A shackle on young spirits keep.
Own your own fall, your silent dread,
Lay not that burden on another's head.
For difference blooms, a world so wide,
In tongue and land, where people stride.
And thought itself, a varied hue,
Must stand for truth, for what is true,
Not swayed by whim, or 'like' or 'hate',
But reason's scale, to seal its fate.
If judgment falters, weak and frail,
Then silence speaks, where words would fail.
The solver's path, not found in strife,
But understanding, cherishing life.
Yet if the fight must find its stage,
Then turn the eye to history's page.
The "real" fighter, strength unseen,
Not battling people, sharp and keen,
But circumstance, the trying hour,
That tests the spirit, proves its power.
Through crushing storms, through gorges deep,
Where miracles alone can keep.
The weary soul from final rest,
This is the fighter's truest test.
To war with people, born of fear,
Just amplifies the failure near.
You might silence voice and sound,
But hatred boils, on fertile ground.
Let mere opinions cause the fray,
No bond will stand another day.
Each eye will glare, each hand will bite,
Cultivating obstinacy's night.
The knot tightens, loops divide,
With bitter pain, where loves reside.
No rest is found, no comfort near,
Just life's dark face, and death held dear.
So, if the urge still drives you on,
To face the dawn, where fights are drawn,
Then turn your gaze, and see the way,
Fight for your people, come what may.
Defend their rights, stand side by side,
Let kinship bloom, where strength can ride.
Not vengeance cold, but presence bold,
A story whispered, brave and old.
This truth remains, unwavering, clear,
The fighter's heart, dispelling fear.
Its color constant, shadow stays,
Through changing forms, through all our days.
Let not your ego, dark and deep,
A shackle on young spirits keep.
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Dr. Tahir Mahmood
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