By: Ngurah Sigit
Life is like the ocean—sometimes calm, sometimes turbulent. We are all sailors in the sea of life, sailing towards our dreams and hopes, yet often faced with towering waves and unexpected storms. At every crossroad, we are always confronted with one question: Should we stop? But the true answer remains the same—no struggle ever ends.
Struggle is not merely about reaching a goal or standing at the peak of victory. More than that, struggle is the soul that lives in every step, behind every effort and sacrifice we make. It is present when we fall, when we are wounded, even when we feel powerless. But it is from these very moments that true strength emerges—from pain, from failure, and from despair, which teach us to rise again.
Imagine a marathon runner. Exhausted, breathless, drenched in sweat, but their feet keep moving forward. They may not know how far the finish line is, but they know one thing: their steps will not stop. This is the essence of struggle. Every step, no matter how small, is a victory in itself. Because in the end, struggle is not about how quickly we reach our goals, but how strongly we endure.
Everyone has a different journey in life, but one thing is certain: no one is free from struggle. For some, the struggle may mean building a career from scratch. For others, it may mean fighting for family, dreams, or even oneself. Struggle is present in every story, in every chapter of life we live. And therein lies its beauty—struggle gives life its color, making it meaningful.
We often get trapped in the mindset that failure is the end of everything. In reality, failure is part of a victory delayed. Thomas Edison once said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Isn’t that beautiful? That every step backward, every fall, is merely another path toward success.
No struggle is ever truly finished. Even after reaching one peak, there will always be a higher summit, a bigger challenge, and new opportunities for growth. Life keeps moving, and so do our struggles. Every day is a new chapter waiting to be written, every step is history we create ourselves.
So, when we feel tired, stuck, or even defeated, remember that no struggle ever truly ends. It is from here that the real story begins. Keep sailing, face the storm with your head held high, and let the winds of struggle guide you to a better place.
Struggle is life, and life is struggle. There is no end, only opportunities to become stronger, wiser, and braver in facing whatever lies ahead. Keep moving, because in every step, we discover new meaning in this life. Rahayu.
The author is a sociologist, cultural observer, and media enthusiast.