Opportunity

How little do you have to work with? How big a setback are you facing? 

What is your Big Excuse? 

Opportunity, by Edward Rowland Sill tells the story of a single tool, a weapon, in the hands of a coward and then, in the hands of a wounded, yet noble, warrior. 

Note: Craven means unwilling to fight; lacking even the rudiments of courage; extremely cowardly. 

This I beheld, or dreamed it in a dream:—

There spread a cloud of dust along a plain;

And underneath the cloud, or in it, raged

A furious battle, and men yelled, and swords

Shocked upon swords and shields. A prince's banner

Wavered, then staggered backward, hemmed by foes.

A craven hung along the battle's edge,

And thought, "Had I a sword of keener steel—

That blue blade that the king's son bears,— but this

Blunt thing—!" He snapped and flung it from his hand,

And lowering crept away and left the field.

Then came the king's son, wounded sore bested,

And weaponless, and saw the broken sword

Hilt-buried in the dry and trodden sand,

And ran and snatched it, and with battle-shout

Lifted afresh he hewed his enemy down

And saved a great cause that heroic day.

You can look at how little you have to work with, your wounds, your inadequate resources, your physical limitations, whatever they may be, and slink away defeated before you have even started to fight. 

How much heart do you have?  It’s what’s inside that counts. 

Then came the king's son, wounded sore bested,

And weaponless, and saw the broken sword

Hilt-buried in the dry and trodden sand,

And ran and snatched it, and with battle-shout

Lifted afresh he hewed his enemy down

And saved a great cause that heroic day. 

Your disability is your opportunity.  

Take up your tools, whatever they are, your weapons and your woundedness, and stand on your feet, and with a battle-shout of your own cut your enemy down (especially the one within).  Your cause is no less noble.  Enjoin the battle on this hero's day.