Principles – “Do not stop” – Saturday, 2nd of September, 2017

   We tackled a life principle at the previous article, that is, “Don’t stop and keep on trying”. We spoke about Mandy; the girl who suffered deafness due to her sickness, but she decided not to stop trying and keep living life as she planned and designed its objectives due her strong will.

    She declared she would sing a song she wrote and it called, “Try”. After she lost her hearing, she felt darkness surrounded her life that made her starting to give up to her sickness that came as unwanted guest to her life. However, she refused to let depression and frustration stop her. She said, “I want to do more with my life than just giving up”. Musicians came on stage then Mandy began to chant a beautiful, quiet song, with an angelic voice, that was like an appeal to everyone who felt he was no longer the same person, to not give up nor lose hope, but to keep going and try. Immediately after the song was finished, the judges declared her great deserved winning, presenting an example to those who try and keep going with a positive frame of mind that helps them overcome the difficulties of life. Mandy is one of the links of this human chain that gives others hope to pass the toughest conditions people can ever face.

   Beethoven, the German musician, is another example that comes clear in my mind. He is one of the greatest composers and pianists through history. He went through a hard experience that was about to ruin his life, yet he didn’t give up. His hearing was weakened and went on deteriorating till he totally lost it. Thus, he was totally devastated that at times, he thought of committing suicide and at another he tried to cope up with his case. In the end, he did not surrender and kept composing music for nearly 13 years in which he could compose immortal musical classics, the most well-known was the Ninth Symphony that amazed everyone though he heard nothing of it.

   How hard it is for one to give up his dreams and how hard it is to “Surrender” and stop keep going with a broken heart. However, you should keep this principle before your eyes, “Do not stop, keep on trying “Don’t stop trying to achieve your dreams even if they were impossible. Go on, try and trust your God-gifted abilities. Thomas Edison, the great scientist and inventor, says, “If we all did the things we are capable of doing we would literally astound ourselves.”Trust that if God closes a door, he will open another, thus, do not lose faith or give up through your life journey no matter how much you suffer. This is one of the greatest life principles.

General Bishop

Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural center