Struggle

Human consciousness is always bound by existential angst, prisoner to the pervasive question of 'why'. Our self-identities are in an eternal state of struggle - a struggle to define ourselves, to carve a minute space in this wide universe, to not be merely a number, a figure, a statistic in what is clearly an overpopulated planet; a struggle to discover ourselves, a struggle to love oneself, a struggle for happiness. 

We ask why - why we're not good enough, why we failed to do the things we could have, why others seems better than we are, why we are seemingly worthless, why the work we do pales in comparison to the landmark contributions others have made and are making (are we less intelligent, less capable, less charismatic, less endowed). We struggle to come to terms with our present in order to make peace with our past. We struggle to accept the conditions that that are presented before us - or we struggle against it. 

And so we are in a constant state of struggle.
With the fate decreed on us, with circumstances we did not effect, with institutions, with power, with oppression, with social class, with race; against time, against history, against ourselves.

Human history is one of struggle.

Yet it is necessary condition of humanity. For struggle is necessary and like the salmon who swims upstream against the torrential currents, against overwhelming odds, to create life, struggle creates change and advents progress.

For there cannot be motion without resistance. Struggle leads to pain and pain is necessary for it reminds us of the fragility that is our life. Pain is humbling and struggle is the means of self-recognition.

There cannot be answers without questions; and there remain many questions without answers for the answers are those we seek not to embrace.