Stick To It

"It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer."
- Albert Einstein

I've always admired stick-to-it-ness, perseverance, fortitude. The ability to keep going, to keep moving forward no matter how others might beat you over the head is a quality that I find compelling.

I'm not sure where this admiration comes from. Perhaps it comes from the belief that in order for someone to love and admire me, they must have this kind of perseverance. Or it could be that I have a warped view of love in general and believe that real love only comes when you triumph over adversity.

I'm thinking these two ideas could use some rethinking.

My friends sometimes say that I should only go with what is easy. If something is difficult, it's not worth your time or effort. Perhaps this is true in love. After all, the belief goes, if someone is really right for you then everything will fall into place. Magically, perhaps.

I view these ideas with some skepticism, but am feeling generous and open-minded. Mostly I feel this way because I've gotten the shit kicked out of me in the Love Department in the last year. No matter, I've dusted myself off and gotten back up again. Fortitude is my friend at such times.

Certainly there's nothing wrong with tweaking your thoughts a little or trying out new approaches. It can't hurt.

At least I don't think so. We'll see.