Who We Really Are

We like to show ourselves in the best light possible. With the advent of social media, it becomes all too easy to craft an image that only tells part of the story. A digital highlight reel, if you will.

If we aren't careful, we can get wrapped up in the facade we create and forget the reality of who we actually are. They say that to err is to be human. Part of life is to recognize the high points as well as the low.

The beautiful thing about fighting is that your mistakes leave a permanent mark. They serve as a constant reminder of our mortality. But our scars can convey another aspect of ourselves: resilience.

I often reflect upon the fights I have lost, far more than the victories I have won. I wonder about the person I would be, had I come out on top. Would that have set me on a path that is different from the one I am currently on? I have to believe that answer is "yes". The real question is, whether that road would have led me to a better place.

In the moments after acknowledging defeat, it is difficult to see any silver lining. The forest is impossible to observe through the looming trees of disappointment. But it is the sum of our experience that makes us who are. Both the positive ones and the negative.

Falling short of a goal can show us where we are lacking and prove what we can endure. For that reason, I am thankful to not forget those moments. I remember that though I am not perfect, tomorrow is another chance to take a step in that direction, should I choose to do so. And everyday that I'm alive, is an opportunity to succeed.