easy

when we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure
~peter marshall~

easy has always been something preferred by society...easy living, the easy life, the easier path are the things we chase after. but why is it that easy is valued above the hard? why is struggle seen as some complete evil. we seek products and invest our dollars in methods to make our life easier, faster, more convenient. there seems to me there is something lost, a cost, with all of this insatiable searching for ease. has it always been so? has easy and fast always been preferred?

i won't deny that i feel the same most times, that hard work and longer waits are a disappointment and irritation, but when i stepped back from my conscious definitions of such, i began to question just why i was seeing things in this light.

in most of my life i feel that hard work has yielded greater fulfillment, greater rewards in the end. a job or tasks that requires more effort and more time i must infuse more of myself into, and i feel more pride in at the end of the day. a book that takes me weeks to read i feel i know more intimately than a quick read i can complete in a day, the characters have become intimate friends of mine rather than mere acquaintances. running a marathon, while torturous for a majority of its duration, gives such a since of achievement, builds up a sense of perseverance. back packing to high altitudes, while bringing burning soles and aching shoulders allows you to see such breathtaking natural beauty that is absent from the paths of an easy day hike. and every trial i've had in life, spiritually, physically, emotionally, has built me up as a person, allowed me to love better and relate more deeply to others.

it seems to me that difficulty and waiting should not instantly be thrown into the category of a curse, but should rather be looked at, embraced, for the future beauty and gift such things are likely to become in hindsight.