For the past two days, the word “capitulate” keeps popping in my head. While I was familiar with its meaning, I gave it a good look in the dictionary.
capitulate | kəˈpiCHəˌlāt |
verb [no object]
cease to resist an opponent or an unwelcome demand; surrender: the patriots had to capitulate to the enemy forces.
Ah. To surrender, to give in. To throw in the proverbial towel.
I think sometimes, this is necessary for us to do in life. We simply have to give in. There are circumstances which arise, and we don’t have any other choice but to surrender to the “thing” at hand. It could be anything. But we know it, in our heart of hearts, when it arises.
Yet, there are other times in life when we have to stand up for ourselves, our beliefs, our rights. Our dreams. We have to go against the odds to do the thing we know is right. To follow the path of virtue. The way of absolute humanity. This too, is in our heart of hearts.
Of course, it always brings me back to one of my favorite reflections.
God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Surrender. Or stand. Accept, or change. Sometimes it isn’t readily clear. Yet, if we trust that the “wisdom to know the difference” will come, the answer is surely with us.
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“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”
― Aristotle
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“Never laugh at live dragons.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien
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“The greatness of the man’s power is the measure of his surrender.”
― William Booth
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