STRUGGLE

1. To fight, especially with your hands

2. To use a lot of effort to defeat someone, prevent something or achieve something

What do we know of struggle? I, a city dwelling, middle class female, don't think I've ever actually struggled in my life, in the true sense of the word. Well, we all have our minor situations. For me, it has been tackling extremely full buses, dealing with Sri Lanka's bureaucratic delays, people with no sense of responsibility, a 1 year and 8 month long lousy relationship and extremely rainy days. Add to the list a car accident. Yes, I think that's pretty much it. Unless 'struggling' to win an event in Need For Speed on the PSP counts.

True struggle makes for great movies. Love Story, Man On Fire, Invictus, Blind Side, My Sister's Keepr, Million Dollar Baby, Erin Brockowich and so much more. Striving to win games and make their voices heard all involve working hard to get what they want.

Sri Lanka ended its civil war of three decades last year and while the presence of war didn't affect me in any way, even in the absence of it, there are loads of people struggling with their own internal wars. Loads of children who are parent-less and psychologically affected. Loads of families who are homeless. Thousands of soldiers scarred by the conflict, both mentally and physically. Their struggle will never end.

On a global scale, there are countries struggling with civil war, corrupt governments, oil spills and natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes.

Struggle is everywhere. But without the difficulty of getting to your destination, is the journey worth it? If everything was handed to us on a silver platter, would we value it as much? Would we have the same amount of satisfaction? The hardships and obstacles we face every step of the way makes arriving at our destination ever the more sweeter and victorious. The sense of achievement is unbelievable and priceless.

Whatever our struggle may be, be it an emotional one or the reaching of personal goals, it's not the destination that makes the person we are at the end of the journey, it is the journey itself. It is the struggle that makes us better citizens of the world. It is the struggle that makes us stronger.