Victim or Warrior?

Sometimes I feel like it’s very easy to fall into the “victim” mentality.

Especially with our situation.  I mean how could I not?  How could I honestly not look at all of the challenges we’ve overcome, all of the hurdles we’ve crossed, all of the doors slammed in our face and not felt the teensiest bit victimized?

Type One Diabetes.

Amputee.

Chronic heart condition.

Cancer.

It’s a beautifully brutal list.

I think it’s because we’ve always asked ourselves “Do you want to be a victim or do you want to be a warrior?”

Instead of asking “Why is this happening to us?” we’ve focused on “What is this trying to teach us?” Or even more so……”How is this situation happening FOR us?”

Because we want to look at all of the things that we’ve been through and be able to shout from the roof tops “We are STILL here!  It did NOT break us!”

Because we want to be proud of our ability to recover, achieve, and rebuild.

Shouldn’t we want to be able to say that those hard things did not decimate us, they did not destroy us, they did not beat us?

We refuse to play the victim.  We refuse to quit, we refuse to be fueled by fear or pessimism.  Or negativity……especially negativity.

“Do you want to be a victim or do you want to be a warrior?”

We are not victims.  We are warriors and survivors, setting the world a blaze with our truths.  Sharing our light, our warmth, and our fierce courage.

We want to say that despite the hellfire.  Despite the soul crushing.  Despite the grief.  Despite the pain…..WE ARE STILL HERE.  That we did not give up.  That we have a history of victory because no matter what we have not given up.

Life comes at you.  No matter the circumstances.  Some people chose to play the victim.  Some people chose to merely survive.  Others, like my family, chose to pick up the sword and fight like a warrior.  Our family, with fire in our veins and courageous hearts, will fight.  Because we see the sunset, even on the darkest days.  We see the opportunity in every difficulty.  We see the quiet moments of beauty that others take for granted.  We see the crazy blessing that is our life.

I don’t know how our story will end.  What I do know is, that absolutely nowhere, in any of the chapters…..will it say we quit.