Fear Says “What If”, Faith Says “Even If”
Would you stay true to your beliefs and missions even if the worst came to pass?
Unexpected things will happen. We will be challenged. It’s not a question of if but a question of when. We have two options. We can try our best to avoid them until they inevitably happen. Choosing this option leads to stress and worry.
The other option is to accept this fact. If you do, you will be more resilient.
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Most of us guard against terminal illnesses with insurance. Some of us further mitigate it by having a healthy diet and active lifestyle.
But there are so many things that we don’t mentally prepare ourselves for, such as having an unfaithful partner, being tempted to cheat, retrenchment or the death of a loved one.
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There are also things that we won’t expect until it happens.
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Memento mori
The stoics are fond of the phrase “memento mori” — remember that you have to die.
The problem is that most of us aren’t able to relate to our mortality unless we have a close encounter with death. Perhaps a loved one died recently, or we’ve had a near death experience, or if we’re terminally ill or injured.
But between life and death, many things happen and it would do us good to apply the idea of memento mori to daily life.
And so, I’d like to introduce another Latin phrase: “memento inopinatum” — remember the unexpected.
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Memento inopinatum
We have assumptions about how our life and world operate.
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We’re capable of doing great things in good times. We can make promises but will we be able to keep our word and standards in tough times?
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“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Although we can’t anticipate every possible scenario, we should examine the ideals and principles that are important to us, that we will never compromise.
Even though we will be challenged, the clarity from such reflections would bolster our resolve during tough times. And every time we reflect on our principles, we strengthen our resolve.
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