Perserverance

As I have indicated before, I have been really enjoying reading a book about Lewis and Tolkien entitled, “A Hobbit, A Wardrobe and a Great War”
I know our remembrance of wars is normally confined to anniversaries and the like, but a section of the book grabbed me big time.  It said “It cannot be emphasized enough that the human tragedy of the First World War damaged the very idea of free will.  After all, millions of men were flung into the pitiless machinery of a conflict that robbed them of their humanity.  They were mutilated, bombed, bayoneted, gassed, and obliterated without mercy.” 
Another sentence in that section reminded me of something personally, that I really did not want to be reminded of.  The author said “It is one thing to join a struggle against evil in the world – but it is another thing to persevere.”
At the start of something I look really good. In a race for example, very early I look like the one to beat.  Time normally puts paid to that idea.  I do not know if Shows still have them, but I paid my money to be the jockey on a horse in sideshow alley.  I was say, number 7, Kuskie.  There was some action that I did, which would propel the horse along the course.  Early on, Kuskie rated a mention in the call.  He was never heard from again.  No money would have been paid out on him unless of course the winnings went down to the one who came tenth or something.
I reckon persevere is like a dirty word.  It is totally necessary, and without it success will not be achieved.  It has never been one of my strong points though.  It is really something I need to work at to achieve.  As I say, early on, I can look like a sure thing.  However it really is not how I start that matters.  It’s how I finish.
In wars, ground is not considered to have been taken, until all the enemy throws at it, is not enough to win it back.  Sometimes for me, it is a matter of consolidation.  Nothing is gained until it is over.  I guess it is why we are fond of saying we lost the battle but won the war.
Generally one flash of brilliance on my part is not enough to win.  Mostly it is like “slow and steady wins the race.”  Doggoneit.  Drat.  Rats, and other bad words signifying displeasure.  Maybe it is more like it was when I was a batsman in cricket.  Generally I could bore the attack out of the game.  Batting teams generally want wickets in hand to launch an assault.  If that is the case pick me! pick me!  Not for the assault, but for the wickets in hand part.
I have always been willing.  Unfortunately for me that is not enough.  As they say “ready, willing and able.”  It seems able means the ability to put in the hard yards.  I guess the saying “when the going gets tough, the tough get going” does not mean escaping to a tropical island.  In cricketing matters, maybe I was your man.  In other things, it was probably better to get someone else.  I’m working on it though.