What does it mean to have grit

“To put away aimlessness and weakness, and to begin to think with purpose, is to enter the ranks of those strong ones who only recognize failure as one of the pathways to attainment; who make all conditions serve them, and who think strongly, attempt fearlessly, and accomplish masterfully.”  —As a man thinketh [Comme un homme pense]

In the kitchen, the pot is cooking over a low, simmering flame, above an intermittent red-hot stove. The pungent aroma, a reminder to the body of the jolting effect of a this revitalizing tonic, like the foretelling of an epic heist from a scene out of a movie.

“Where’s my ginger?”, he says in a gravelly, child-like voice.

As she pours them both a cup, she looks at the different shades of sienna brown bits in the seething liquid and wonders how something so small can be so powerful. The scent and flavor, after resisting substantial heat, have been enhanced and amplified.

In life, sometimes, we go through situations that test our capacity to deal with obstacles. Like the ginger root, that gets, spicier and spicier, as it heats up, we should learn to renew our strength every time we get “boiled”. We regenerate when we persevere through stumbling blocks and keep moving forward with grit.

This builds character, which stimulates resilience and wisdom for future unexpected occurrences. As one could say, a more seasoned approach to life, knowing that each experience is an opportunity to grow exceedingly in greatness.

Be ginger, my friend.