Live the Life of a Victor

“Live the life of a Victor” are the last words Effie Trinket speaks to Katniss Everdeen in the grand finale of the Hunger Games. Yes, I know…Spoiler Alert. And it wasn’t until months, years later that she finally lived out her victory story.  I found this profound in two ways…1. Everyone’s victory is defined by those we subject ourselves to and 2. Even in movies, every woman’s victory story ends with a husband and at least two kids.

When we truly glance at our lives, we will find our success follows this same story line, just on a broader scale.  Society tells us to get an education, obtain a good job and excel at it, work hard, buy a house, buy a fancy car, get married, have kids and buy them everything they want, buy more fancy stuff and then retire all to indicate that we have been successful in some way shape or form. Even more so with women, we must do all of that plus successfully raise well behaved children.  Honestly, whose story is that really?  Does everyone truly want that?

If I were to define my victory story, it would look a little different, with some similarities. Yes, there would probably be a family, education, and a home…but that would be where the similarities end.  My story would include travel, the eradication of homelessness (especially in America), and possible friendships with famous people. I would spend my life helping those in need, and wouldn’t feel the oppression of fitting in because I would be me, doing what I was designed to do. No stress of living how someone else says I should.

Truth be told, our dreams, our hopes, our successes have become the brainchild of people who knows nothing about us, and has yet to provide us the freedom to visualize the full bounty this world can offer. We take society’s template and affix our lives to it, knowing full well that it doesn’t work for any of us. As a result of this force feed, we find ourselves moderately existing at the sacrifice of our individual greatness and contribution to the world. Only a true victor will have the audacity to be who they are and the volition to stay that way…no matter the costs. Sadly, most of us choose to fight the costs, and not for victory.
 
“I am a victor. I didn't climb up the mountain; I was born on top of it!” ― C. JoyBell C.