eddy_simpson
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You probably know the story of King Leonidas and the Spartans.
The Spartans had the most feared army in ancient Greece. From early childhood boys were trained in combat, toughened and subjected to gruelling exercises. They very much prescribed to the idea that “what doesn’t kill me only makes me strongerâ€, and through combat with one another were taught to never submit. After many successful wars, King Leonidas and his Spartan warriors faced the conquering Persians led by King Xerxes. No retreat, no surrender – they went either to victory over their enemy Xerxes, or to a proud death. Despite being vastly outnumbered they held firm for the first two days of battle, and even when defeat became inevitable, they refused to give in. I take inspiration from the Spartans’ strength, their courage, passion and discipline, as depicted in the film 300. I take inspiration from many stories and people – real or fictional. I do so because it’s easy in our society, and in our own lives, to forget that the moments in time we occupy are just as significant. It’s easy to lose purpose and perspective and get entrenched in our own circumstances. But each of us have our personal battles daily, and they are just as great as those faced by heroes gone by. Connecting with some person, some tale, some event, can keep us mindful of this. It is what it does for you, rather than what it is, that matters. But let it be something epic, for otherwise you would be doing yourself an injustice.
Like the Spartans facing Xerxes, we have our own common enemy that has the odds over us. I was 16 when it struck. It hit me hard. There was no denial phase, I was in utter despair for days. It was only after 6 years of fighting, with it on my mind every day, that I realised I had it wrong. The issue was not the hair loss itself, it was what accompanied it. This was the fear, the disgust, the jealousy, the self-pity, the discrimination, the obsession. The hair loss was just a trigger. To demonstrate, if you have hayfever do you curse pollen and try and rid the world of it, or do you deal with the physiological reaction? If your son comes home from school one day upset because people have mocked him for wearing glasses, do you take him straight to the opticians to get contact lenses, or address the belief that there’s a problem with his glasses? The boy may be able to stop his troubles at school for a few days by simply buying contact lenses, but other things will come along in his life; some equally as superficial, others far greater, and he will be no better prepared to face them. He will only become a man when he learns to stand firm and challenge the negative response rather than the stimulus. Many never do. I am not saying do not treat your hair loss, but rather do not fall into the trap of thinking it is something bad and worth a moment’s distress. Instead take the opportunity to become a better, stronger person. Recognise that actions last, emotions don’t, and then strive to always act as if you were at your very best. The moment I realised my father had human failings, was when he expressed concerns that his mildly receding hairline may worsen. I was 17, and I saw then that he, at 50, was no more stoic than me. His distress reinforced my sense of fear and desperation. What impression do you want to give your son?
You can choose to be remembered as someone who rose above adversity with courage and integrity; someone who fought not to be enslaved by fear, discrimination and weakness. Do this and you will be fighting alongside all those that stood up to oppression in some form. You will be fighting alongside me as a brother in arms, and if you fall I will pick you up. And if you die I will weep. Because if you choose not to submit, you are not only strengthening yourself, but the whole human civilisation. You are paving the way so that others may follow your example in facing their own battles. You become a hero.
I call for a new forum section to be set up. Finally one that does not reinforce the negativity. A section about 'outgrowing hairloss', to discuss a positive approach.
The Spartans had the most feared army in ancient Greece. From early childhood boys were trained in combat, toughened and subjected to gruelling exercises. They very much prescribed to the idea that “what doesn’t kill me only makes me strongerâ€, and through combat with one another were taught to never submit. After many successful wars, King Leonidas and his Spartan warriors faced the conquering Persians led by King Xerxes. No retreat, no surrender – they went either to victory over their enemy Xerxes, or to a proud death. Despite being vastly outnumbered they held firm for the first two days of battle, and even when defeat became inevitable, they refused to give in. I take inspiration from the Spartans’ strength, their courage, passion and discipline, as depicted in the film 300. I take inspiration from many stories and people – real or fictional. I do so because it’s easy in our society, and in our own lives, to forget that the moments in time we occupy are just as significant. It’s easy to lose purpose and perspective and get entrenched in our own circumstances. But each of us have our personal battles daily, and they are just as great as those faced by heroes gone by. Connecting with some person, some tale, some event, can keep us mindful of this. It is what it does for you, rather than what it is, that matters. But let it be something epic, for otherwise you would be doing yourself an injustice.
Like the Spartans facing Xerxes, we have our own common enemy that has the odds over us. I was 16 when it struck. It hit me hard. There was no denial phase, I was in utter despair for days. It was only after 6 years of fighting, with it on my mind every day, that I realised I had it wrong. The issue was not the hair loss itself, it was what accompanied it. This was the fear, the disgust, the jealousy, the self-pity, the discrimination, the obsession. The hair loss was just a trigger. To demonstrate, if you have hayfever do you curse pollen and try and rid the world of it, or do you deal with the physiological reaction? If your son comes home from school one day upset because people have mocked him for wearing glasses, do you take him straight to the opticians to get contact lenses, or address the belief that there’s a problem with his glasses? The boy may be able to stop his troubles at school for a few days by simply buying contact lenses, but other things will come along in his life; some equally as superficial, others far greater, and he will be no better prepared to face them. He will only become a man when he learns to stand firm and challenge the negative response rather than the stimulus. Many never do. I am not saying do not treat your hair loss, but rather do not fall into the trap of thinking it is something bad and worth a moment’s distress. Instead take the opportunity to become a better, stronger person. Recognise that actions last, emotions don’t, and then strive to always act as if you were at your very best. The moment I realised my father had human failings, was when he expressed concerns that his mildly receding hairline may worsen. I was 17, and I saw then that he, at 50, was no more stoic than me. His distress reinforced my sense of fear and desperation. What impression do you want to give your son?
You can choose to be remembered as someone who rose above adversity with courage and integrity; someone who fought not to be enslaved by fear, discrimination and weakness. Do this and you will be fighting alongside all those that stood up to oppression in some form. You will be fighting alongside me as a brother in arms, and if you fall I will pick you up. And if you die I will weep. Because if you choose not to submit, you are not only strengthening yourself, but the whole human civilisation. You are paving the way so that others may follow your example in facing their own battles. You become a hero.
I call for a new forum section to be set up. Finally one that does not reinforce the negativity. A section about 'outgrowing hairloss', to discuss a positive approach.
