Adversity a forge.
I’ve been reading Shakespeare – a 2025 goal.
In As You Like It, Act 2, Scene 1, Shakespeare plants a gem of wisdom in the mouth of Duke Senior, exiled to the Forest of Arden.
Rather than wallow in his misfortune, the Duke embraces hardship, calling it a “sweet use.”
He claims the harsh wilderness teaches valuable lessons no gilded court could offer.
It’s a radical perspective: Adversity as a teacher, not a tormentor.
Modern culture flinches at discomfort.
A great many of us are soft.
We are introduced to culture and consumerism.
And we bite.
We chase convenience, crave comfort, and sidestep pain.
But Shakespeare whispers something ancient and true.
Struggle strips us down to our core.
It reveals our resilience, ingenuity, and purpose.
Duke Senior didn’t lament the loss of his dukedom—he thrived without it.
He learned the rhythm of nature, the humility of survival, and the rare joy of simplicity.
Adversity is an equalizer.
It shows you who you are.
And, if you’re willing, it points to who you could become.
Without resistance, muscles don’t grow.
Without challenge, neither do people.
Shakespeare doesn’t glamorize hardship but reframes it: adversity doesn’t destroy—it sculpts.
What matters is whether you let it shape you or shatter you.
“The greatest victories are born in the shadow of struggle.” — Mike Brewer