Nemesis

I think there is a "mountain" in every ones life. Some monumental challenge they must overcome, a personal "nemesis" if you will. If you are successful in the challenge you are given great rewards, such as self esteem, confidence, a personal insight into your own destiny. I have seen it in many over and over again, even once in myself. Perhaps it is the elusive meaning of life that so many of us in this day and age yearn for, your own personal meaning handed to you on a silver platter...you just have to earn it.

Some of the challenges seem apparent, some well hidden, some completely ludicrous to everyone but yourself. To you they have meaning, to you climbing "the mountain" opens up a plethora of life opportunities that before you could only gaze at in the distance. It shouldn't be, but it is. To conquer it is to conquer something in yourself, to best something in yourself, to KNOW who you are and just what it is you were meant for. It can be that big.

I believe this is actually the natural state of all of us, that if we are "there", then we have no questions about are place, we truly know ourselves, our intent, our path. Even when we end up somewhere as a complete surprise we recognize it as only the result of where we have been. In short, our natural state is happiness, because to know yourself, know your purpose, know your direction, that is happiness, even when that path is a difficult one to tread.

Of course if all that is true, most of the life we live is a dysfunction, something a bit askew. Things just don't "feel" right. We are uncomfortable in a situation because we are uncomfortable with "our" situation.

To climb the mountain, face your nemesis, succeed on the long challenge before you, it requires a few things.

Faith in yourself
Knowledge of the enemy
Courage of your convictions
Humility to get up and try again
Focus on the path ahead
Control over distraction

An epiphany awaits, something you never expected, something you will immediately recognize as your personal truth. It IS there for all of us, but I think we have to earn it, each in our own unique way.