PERFECTION asks: Shirelle what do you think about strong people? Not masculine but strong as a person, who handles problems by themselves. I consider myself one of them. I tend to solve everything by myself, endure pain, adapt and fight. But I heard this quote, strong people will have a lot of damage when they fall or somewhat give up. Or does that depend on the person himself?
Hi PERFECTION –
Of course I want you as strong as you can be. You’re a terrific person, I know from your letters, so the more you’re able to act on your values, the better the world will be (and the happier you will be).
And I suppose it’s true that the stronger a person is, the more others depend on them, so the more loss there is when they fail or lose heart. But that’s no reason for them not to be out there doing their best. Think of that super-hero rule, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Okay, so take the responsibility and do some wonders!
After all, the “damage” that’s done, by their failing to do something good, is just that things go back to the way they’d be if that person had never done anything at all.
Just to pick three examples, Socrates, Jesus, and Gandhi all were enormously strong personalities, who were killed because of their strength. And that meant that they weren’t able to do what they’d been doing before anymore. But what they had done has affected the world enormously ever since. (And of course, for those who believe, at least the second of those has been even more powerful since that death!).
And if you’re thinking, “Hey, I don’t mean THAT strong! I mean, I’m nowhere near as great as they were!” then my response is simply… how do you know yet?!!
All my best,
Shirelle