Yesterday I learned the news about my daughter's graduate school application. She was rejected by the three top ones. This was expected because their acceptance rate stays below 5%. My daughter still shines through them, "On the other hand, rejection means I tried for something difficult to achieve, and I'm happy to have tried."
At the moment, I thought of the book that I read recently, The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family and Defiance During the Blitz by Erik Larson, 2021. The book covers from May 1940 to May 1941, London's darkest year during World War II.
On Winston Churchill's first day as British PM, Hitler invaded Holland and Belgium, and the Dunkirk evacuation was two weeks away. Hitler's speed was so swift that half of west Europe was conquered within 6 weeks of Churchill's rule. Within one year, Hitler's bombing killed 45,000 Britons.
Churchill's leadership played a crucial role inspiring and uniting people during one of the darkest moments in their history. He famously said,
--I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat.
--We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.
--Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense.
The Britons were fighting with intense ferocity, not knowing at all if they could resist the Germans. In the end, a turning point in World War II came, the Battle of Britain which marked the first major Hitler's defeat and showed Britain could resist German aggression! The battle boosted British morale and strengthened their will to continue the fight against Nazi Germany.
The saga of Churchill is very much relevant today for individuals. Life is full of obstacles and challenges. Perseverance and resilience are keys in overcoming obstacles. It is not because there is hope that we persevere but because only by perseverance do we have hope.
Here's the Chinese saying for today: 江东子弟多才俊, 卷土重来未可知 (Jiāng dōng zǐdì duō cáijù, juǎn tǔ chóng lái wèi kě zhī), meaning: people from the east of the river are talented, you never know when they will come back winning.