Poem : 🌷 " Endurance "    
Poetess : Tilottama Vijay Lele

Life needs shadows as much as light. 
We need hurdles in life to make it right...

Nothing thrives in constant anything.
Our attention follows, d pattern of a thing 

D things we notice R d ones that change. 
Our brains R wired to focus on differences. 

Clock goes out of awareness until it stops 
Fridge is audible when d silence falls...

 Endless pleasure, growth n convenience 
 We think that discomfort is bad for us...

Hundreds of years ago, Stoics practiced 
What they called “voluntary discomfort” 

Intentionally depriving comforts, pleasures
Just to strengthen our resilience...

Not because suffering itself was good, 
but d capacity to endure was understood 

The Stoics weren’t alone in this insight. 
Wisdom warns against too much of ease

Plants grown in perfect  conditions,
Often can’t survive in real situations...

Their roots R shallow n stems R weak...
Against wind, they R unable to fight ...

Exactly in d same way our bodies work,
Muscles need resistance to grow stronger 

Bones need workouts to maintain density.
Immunity needs scope to develop properly

Too much protection creates weakness.
We experienced it in d pandemic-days 

After months of cleaning n distancing, 
We  got sicker even from ordinary things...

When we ventured back into d present,
Immunity failed to handle daily threats...

Temporary desert of social isolations,
Show d results of improved resilience

Ones who faced n overcome adversity, 
Can cope up with any challenges aptly...

Best part isn’t constant sunshine or storm
D balance of both, like a set rhythmic form 

Suffering, difficulties that we try to avoid,
R essential for life to be fully enjoyed...

Small frustrations, setbacks, Li'l retreating, 
R necessary delays in Wanting n Having...

🌷@Tilottama Vijay Lele
🙏🕉️🔆