I've been giving a lot of thought to warriors. I’ve found myself using this word recently and more than the days when I was surrounded by what the box office stylized as a warrior. If you close your eyes, you can conjure the stereotype- the violence, the blood, the action. A warrior, for me, is something different.
Violence is not the calling card of a warrior, but rather love.
I've walked with warriors, fought with them, drank with them, cried with them, bled with them, and buried them.
Warriors are a special breed. All fight, but not all are violent—all sacrifice. What makes warriors special is their desire to fight for those who cannot. Sitting bull said it better than I can:
"For us, warriors are not what you think of as warriors. The warrior is not someone who fights because no one has the right to take another life. The warrior, for us, is one who sacrifices for the good of others. The task is to take care of the elderly, the defenseless, and those who can not provide for themselves. Above all the children, the future of humanity."
When I think of warriors: Viktor Frankl, Rosa Parks, Gandhi Churchill, Martin Luther King Jr. - those are all names, you know. And they're warriors in my book. How many warriors are out there practicing warriorship that you don't know? Chances are, you know one personally. Maybe, you are one.
The warrior loves
The warrior may fight but fights for love: a belief, a way of life, or those who cannot fight for themselves. The warrior is patient in their craft and impatient with injustice. They choose confrontation over comfort.
The warrior is resilient
They are realistically optimistic - moving forward when others think it is too hard. They are a professional at getting back up, dusting themselves off, and saying, “Again, I’m ready.” They do not fear what is in front of them because of the love behind them.
The warrior looks in, not out
The warrior knows their imperfections - this is central to the warrior and why they train the body, the mind, and the heart. The warrior is relentless on better as there’s too much at stake not to be.
They prepare as Churchill decreed, “That one day the universe will one tap them on the shoulder to do something they are uniquely qualified for, and must be ready. They live - “get strong, stay strong.”
The warrior is selfless
They exist to defend what needs defending - people, ideas, and liberties. For that which cannot protect itself, the warrior brings violence of action. They act with love and bleed sacrifice.
The warrior does not want to die, but if someone must, in defense of right, the warrior says, “Take me, I’m ready. But I will not go gently.”
The warrior does not complain
They do the work and don’t want glory. Their only ask is that you honor their sacrifice by not wasting it.
The warrior is lucid
They respond, not react. Clear in thought and action - their training has taken them to this point. They refuse to let anger or vengeance, or ego lead. Love leads and dictates their actions. They focus on what they can control, and above all, they control themselves.
The warrior is confidently humble
In actions and words, there is no pride. Confident in who they are today and who they are becoming. They want the right way, not their way. The warrior knows everyone is their teacher, and they are a small part of a much larger world.
Love and humility are their most effective weapons.
A warrior does not need a uniform, just a mindset. Being a warrior is a choice. Practicing warriorship is your choice. Go confidently, friends. The world needs you.
The Art of Warriorship