How do you know when, or if, you’re going through one?
I hear people refer to personal hardships as trials. How do we really know the difference between a hardship and a trial?
For example: I jumped ship and moved away from all I knew and was comfortable with. I did this knowing the reality of my life wasn’t as clear cut as I wanted it to be at that time. I watched a situation unfold that I was expecting though the timing was sooner than I’d hoped.
I believe my condition can be coined cynical optimism.
Sometimes, you want to be proven wrong, but intuition and instinct are what alerts us to dangers and they are usually right. I probably should have listened to the alarm bells that were clanging in my mind. There’s no blame to assign, as adults do what they believe is best, and I am neither innocent nor naive. I consider all that I’ve underdone that’s been negative a hardship.
This brings me back to my initial question. What’s a trial, and what’s a hardship? Is there any real difference between them?
I guess it would be a matter of perspective, right?
I think, when the word “hardship” is used, it means something that can have a resolution in the short term. For example, not having a job, but having bills you can’t pay. One can find a job fairly easy, especially if they have certain means for acquisition (a car for ridesharing or delivering goods, or are willing to temp until you can find something permanent). Don’t get me wrong, I understand the reality of my own situation. You see, I’ve cultivated and trained to have a specific skill set, and though the market is ripe for it, actually getting a worthwhile position can be a little daunting. To have to look for one – terrifying.
A trial – now, that’s a horse of a different color.
Trials can be enduring. They have the power to take a much heavier toll on a person both mentally and physically. Trials, in my, opinion, cause the most emotional upheaval, can weigh one down and make people behave completely out of character. Trials can last years, even decades, much in the same sense of a court matter.
I guess, in the end, it’s a matter of WHEN or IF we get through that hardship or trial that’s the most important factor. I know my lack of patience in certain situations make them seem worse than the are, though they are often just as bad as I think… LBVS
We all need a reminder that most conditions are not permanent, and no matter how frustrating and tiresome that situation may be, we will find a way out of it. It is also the hope that we’ve learned from the experience, and be better people for it.
Best of luck, and happy reading!
Liz K
Classy With An E 