Turning Adversity Into Opportunity

Almost everywhere we go, we tend to meet people who wish that they can have a comfortable and smooth life. Even when I asked a few hardworking friends - they would tell me that they are working so hard now so that one day they don't have to work. It seems nobody like to work (struggle). They would prefer to go downstream than to go upstream. In other words, they would very much prefer a life without problems and live an effortless life. I'm not trying to propagate that it is not good to relax. That is all fine but we should not fear struggling. We should embrace it when it comes. Somehow or rather, I've experienced that once a person is faced with a challenge or adversity something in them is "triggered" and he/she will release a certain "power" within him/her to overcome the adversity in front. This "power" therefore stretches him and he grows. On the other hand if he or she dare not face up to it or avoid it, he lost the opportunity to grow. That's why there is a saying, "Challenges push some men to break but some to break records!"

We see it in the history of mankind. Under challenging circumstances like wars, crisis, scarcities, etc.....great leaders, heroes and amazing ideas emerged. I think there are enough cases to tell us that for the power of life to grow stronger, it has to keep on climbing new mountains.

Take a look at Polio, it was deemed to be eradicated but lately, it emerges again. New and stronger strains of Tuberculosis have emerged. Take the avian flu, no matter how many birds we kill new variant strain start to spring-up.

Coming to the human race, there is this community in Africa that would just let the Tsetse Fly which carry the sleeping sickness slowly kill them than for them to do anything about it. They would not even move to a new place to live.

In our country, normally during the monsoon period when the winds bring the monsoon rain, the people of certain parts of our country would tend to stop a lot of their activities. Afterall what can they do? They can't swim, they can't go out to fish as the seas would be very rough then. But lately, I'm very proud to note that some of our leaders have taken it upon themselves to launch the Monsoon Cup - attracting yatching competitors from various parts of the world. Yes, Adversity can be turned into an opportunity!

Don't take my word for it. The next time you are faced with a problem or a challenge - face it, think creatively (or think out of the box) and ACT and you will never be the same again. And remember, work experience, struggle are the 'stuff' that our lives are made of.

May the "power" be with you.
A kite rises against the wind rather than with it.