The Stubbornness to be Tough

When the sky’s the limit
And experience affords us the grasp
Of a firm and steady picture,
A man, woman, or child becomes
Rough, ready, and resolute.
With possible huge gains rising with the sun
Along the eastern horizon,
A person is heartily constructed to pursue
Both the unlimited promise and immense rewards
Of an awesomely engaging and fun activity.
But then the hope fades from our first few recipes
For conquering this pastime or exploit
And we lose the stubbornness to be tough;
Even after being told to never give in,
We succumb to this wild animal
And it eats us alive.

Then comes a new start to the activity,
And solely because of talent and desire,
We keep coming back to it,
For the richness and the fulfillment we once enjoyed
From emulating famous great players.

The stubbornness to be tough
Requires a healthy respect
For the infinite challenges being posed by the endeavor.
Life is much more than wounded pride
And clipped wings;
It’s having infinite respect
For the challenges of a lifetime
Being posed by a pastime or sport.