It's Not About Winning the Battle

Love is a battlefield, as many would say. Yes, it's probably the only battlefield in history where most people find themselves returning, no matter how great a scar it leaves. It's the only battleground where people experience the greatest of pains without a scratch on their bodies. It's the only combat zone where the craziest of soldiers charge into an unknown war clueless and weaponless. Many of us have been here, have gone insane, have been immensely damaged. Yet we keep coming back. We keep longing for it. Even those who have promised never to go back to such anguish and sorrow often heal quickly and suddenly feel the desire for it. There are also those who lose the passion in the process but nevertheless bounce back after some time.

Oftentimes we ask ourselves why we are still drawn to win this war, despite the many battles we have already lost and despite the deep wounds we have suffered from these unfortunate experiences. Perhaps we want to prove something. Perhaps we have not yet tired of fighting. Perhaps we are simply foolish, and sometimes even suicidal. Or perhaps it is our innate desire to love and be loved.

It's not always a losing battle. But then again, you never get any reassurance that the next one will be your victory. It's constantly a risk. It's like being blinded by a radiant blaze and stepping into it without knowing if it would skin you alive or embrace you in its warmth.

For the veteran soldiers who have struggled to survive all the battles they have weathered, they become more cautious. They carry makeshift weapons, ready to fire at the slightest movement, prepared to run at the littlest danger. But then again, the passion and sense of adventure that had once made it all more meaningful and cherished have vanished. They are always on guard, which somehow diminishes the glowing inferno that makes such a sweet victory. There are some whose shields eventually wear out, exposing them to possible peril and at the same time allowing them to feel the intensity and fervor once again. So ask yourself... which one would you choose--- to stay protected for eternity but never know if you would ever emerge a champion of this war or to risk grave injuries but have the chance at what could be the most important triumph of your life?

Come to think of it. Losing a battle isn't that bad, when you come out of it a stronger and better person. Someone wiser and tougher. Someone more mature and stable, equipped to handle greater pressures and challenges and geared up to emerge victorious in the end. Think of it as a kind of training, though it's actually the real thing already. And never lose hope, for in time, you shall taste sweet, sweet victory as if it had always been there in your lips.

Actually, it's not about winning the battle at all. It's about experiencing life and learning from your mistakes. It's about testing the waters and savoring the bitterness that would make the win even more momentous in the end. It's about getting to know yourself better and learning how to give rather than take. It's about accepting your shortcomings and learning to face up to them. It's about never giving up and making all the sacrifices worthwhile. It's about teaching your heart to love with the pure and unconditional love that comes close to what God is. It's about molding your soul to appreciate the greatest of all gifts.

And when you finally relish that delicious victory, be very grateful. Remember to embrace it. Remember to treasure it. For the one who is blessed with such great love must yearn for nothing else. Because winning such is far greater than anything else in this world.