PRACTICE: How do you feel about struggle/suffering?
There are two types of twins – identical and fraternal. I am married to a twin. He has not seen her in almost two years. We are occasionally asked, “Are you/they identical?” impossible for obvious reasons. Identical twins are created by a fertilized egg dividing into two embryos with the same genetic makeup. Fraternal twins occur when two eggs are fertilized by two sperm to form two genetically unique individuals at the same time. Did you know that roughly a quarter of identical twins are mirror images of each other? The right side of one matches the left side of the other.
I think of suffering (struggle) and success (winning) as identical twins (mirror images). The idea of writing about suffering and success as twins began in January (egg). I have struggled to get the words from my head and heart to paper. For the last 6 months this egg of an idea has been impregnated with conversation and wisdom from friends and family (sperm). Each time I revisited the idea I felt a little closer to being able to write – success – but as I engaged the struggle, I had a keen sense that my practice of struggle was being enhanced. Success is often the validation of practicing. Practice is struggling with something until you get it right.
I think of the places where I have enjoyed success. Struggle was behind, be side, and in front of me every step of the way. It lived in the womb competing for nutrition and love alongside the promise of the success to come. This blog is evidence of that.
Simone Biles’ recent success of performing a vault so advanced that other gymnast will not attempt it, is evidence. Every time you are given more responsibility at work, requiring you to tap into unknown resources and arrive at the place of success or a win, is evidence of struggle. Talk to any successful person and you will discover a story of struggle.
Perhaps you think that I am wrong about the mirror identical twins. Perhaps you would be more inclined to think of struggle and success as fraternal twins. Twins of any kind share a special bond. I see it displayed between my husband and his sister. Whether one egg is fertilized by a single sperm or two eggs by two separate sperms, struggle and success share a special bond, born out of living in the same space simultaneously. Agree or disagree?
Psalm 5:1
PONDER THIS THOUGHT—Struggle is a required course at Life University.
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