Five Minute Friday: Fight

First it's something that our parents are proud of.

"Yep, he's a real fighter," a new father exclaims to his friends as he passes the kicking and screaming newborn over to his wife to be fed.

But after that first, proud stage wears off, it's something we are told not to do, something we are admonished against.

"Don't fight with your sister." "I hear you two fighting. Don't make me come up there!" "If I see you kids fighting you're all getting a time out!"

Somehow we get through those early years, learning every day how to get along with each other, and using more mature methods to work out our differences.

Next we're told to get scrappy.

"You need to work hard, and fight to get in to that university." "Just fight through this down time. Keep your spirit up and keep on applying. You'll get your dream job soon." "If you want to get to the top of your company, you need to fight your way up there."

Then we become the parents, the ones who tell our own children not to fight, and the cycle is repeated.

And then...then someone we love and care deeply about starts to lose their health or gets into an accident or gets a dreaded illness. Then, it's an urgent plea.

"We know you can get through this. You just need to fight through this hard patch." "You've always been a fighter. Don't give up now!" "I don't know what I'm going to do without you. Please keep on fighting to live, to breathe that next, hard breath."


Fight. It's a little word that can mean a whole lot.
What will you fight for this year?

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My musings on the prompt 'fight' for Five Minute Friday. Join in next week if you feel inspired!