Endurance is at the very top of my list of beautiful qualities and worthy goals. When I hear a really good story, the vast majority of the time the protagonist has this very special quality and normally is pushed to the limits of his or her ability to endure. These are special stories where someone summons and controls their will in a seemingly inhuman manner. If you have never heard the story of Ernest Shackleton I would implore you to acquaint yourself with it and revel in its beauty which is laced with tales of extreme endurance. The following is an ode to endurance I wrote over a decade ago.

To Endure,
The only strength that is pure;
The pain,
But you allow no refrain.
You Endure.

To endure,
What you lack time can cure;
The will,
To push beyond all else.
To endure.

To endure,
When short lived power loses allure;
You live,
When all else dies.
You endure.

To endure,
When only your mind is secure;
You sustain,
When others feel pain.
You endure.

To endure,
The one thing I am sure;
I endure.

Thus end the words of a young, delusional fool. One of the things that my human experience has now taught me is that that beautiful quality of endurance is at best a temporary art for each one of us. Our weakness and brevity will be revealed in due time. Even with that understanding I still find endurance to be meaningful, beautiful and mystical. In truth, true endurance is sacred. It is the domain of only one. The great “I AM”. The explanation given to Moses by God in Egypt still resonates with me for its audaciously powerful simplicity. In Exodus 3:13-14 Moses asks God what his name is so that he can explain if the Isrealites ask. His response is beautiful and powerful as he tells Moses, “I AM WHO I AM” or “I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE” depending upon the translation. This is a great early example of the concept of “less is more” with regard to communication. With those words God raised the meaning of endurance and I stand in awe of its unique beauty.