Lose the battle not the war

Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even." Muhammad Ali
This life is wrought with wins and losses, ups and downs, joy and heart ache, there are highs and lows, then there are those that see through rose colored glasses. Everything is alright, there is never anything bad or wrong in their lives. I am not one of those blessed creatures.  I like to look at life through pragmatic eyes. Yes, I have been defeated, I've suffered losses and endured great pain. I've been cheated, wronged and falsely accused. I have made many mistakes on my own. These things do not define me. My reaction to these things and the lessons I have learned from these things define me. What I do for others ultimately define me. How I now see the world, one people, one planet and one huge family of humanity who's lives are all woven together in the fabric of life. Suffer when you must but, always recover. Lose the battle not the war.