The royal struggle
On my way to visit the castle, I watched my mother looking at herself through the interior car window. With a sad look on her face, she quietly pressed her fingertips against her skin and stretched it towards the earlobes, in a failed attempt to simulate her youthful self. I spent more time contemplating on that 10-second episode than watching her because, to be honest, as soon as I realised what she was doing, I yelled “what the hell are you doing?” and had to refrain myself from giving an entire pep-talk on how one should embrace their beauty at all times.
The castle was, as expected, beautiful. The stones were smaller than the ones on the last castle I had visited and, now that I think of it, I’m led to decide that we are in fact sort of similar to castles — which goes beyond our appearance, varied and pressured to display wealth, prone to lavish impulses and mutative along time. Our bodies, an improvised battlefield. Crushed armours foretell the fate of our entrails. There is desire for peace, and strategic domination. There is fear of control in the midst of the power struggle.
Sometimes, we get a sip of the sweetness, a sample of what conquest could be. Often, we are nearly overthrown of ourselves. Fortresses protect — they do. But they don’t save what is destined. Sudden defeat. Often, well-planned. Often, when least expected. We blame our walls — not high enough. We build, again. Mindlessly forgetting that even in between these walls, there is treason.
Winds of change — alter and challenge. A growing collection of stories and lives that have traced the creases of our rocky barriers progresses through time. The defensive lines, in desperate need to be recovered. The greatest thirst pulsating within — to build them higher. A moment of distraction, we fail. The gates are mistakenly opened. All that awaits comes rushing in. We are raided.
We desire triumph. However, it is not through fear that we shall rise again. And it is not the height of our defense that shall cradle our bones to safety. It is its strength. And strength, my dear, can only be attained through struggle. And time.
This piece was originally written on August 20th, 2020.
