Warrior in the garden
This is a continuation in the theme of war.
The Peaceful Warrior
Would it not be more tranquil and serene to be a gardener and tend the plants? he asked. Tending the garden, the master replied, is a relaxing pastime, but it does not prepare one for the inevitable battles of life. It is easy to be calm in a serene setting. To be calm and serene when under attack is much more difficult; therefore, I tell you that it is far better to be a warrior tending his garden rather than a gardener at war.
There is a blog of which I a was very fond of to read by which the author summarised the above as:
The point of the story, from a martial arts perspective, is that we do not always get to choose when we are confronted by violence. It sometimes chooses you; in which case, you need to be ready.
This is very much an extension of the stoic adage/locus of control, but very much from a practical stance of:
It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.
Or more according to the colloquial euphemism; shit happens.
I say all that to say it’s your duty especially as a man to be prepared at all times, this does require you to also have agency but also be a problem solver/engineer.
In this rental of a vessel its your obligation to both get in your best physical and mental stature and maintain it, constantly you will be tested your gears will be grinded by the tests of life almost as if you’re in a ancient greek mythology. Whatever destiny has planned should it be at the expense of me achieving nirvana I will continue to fight. Yes in nature the path of least resistance is the one most frequented but there is good reason to push against it, rebel against the status quo.
On an alternative angle I could not help but to think of te 50cent lyric although visceral it paints a picture of reality:
I came in the world cryin’ and fussin’, Nigga, we ain’t have nothin’, Every ghetto I know the same… Preacher man come around talkin’, I don’t wanna hear it, keep walkin’… Once I’m on I ain’t never gon’ stop, Bitch, I’m on, I ain’t never gon’ stop
50 reminds us of the internal dialogue that can distract you from taking necessary risk, what is life if all you do is play it safe it also must be stated that you don’t be a fool and compete in a game where people play with loaded dice for this is how all the successful play.
Learning strategy
I am not ashamed to say I have recently started playing chess both my offence and defence are currently terrible. This has definetly piqued my interest in military strategy