January 17, 2025

A 24 day march in protest the British.

Over 2,000 days in

Fasting a dozen and half times or so voluntarily. Significantly making a difference without a riot, or violence or war. Mohandas Gandhi was a warrior. An embodiment of fighting and working for something greater than himself.

In a speech in 1909 said, "the grandest aid to development of strong, pure, beautiful character, which is our aim, is the endurance of suffering.Self-restraint, unselfishness, patience, gentleness, these are the flowers which spring beneath the feet of those who accept, but refuse to impose suffering, and the grim prisons of Johannesburg, Pretoria, Heidelberg, and Volkrust are like the four gateways to this garden of God."

Suffering was sure endured by Gandhi, taking down an Empire with his restraint, patience and unselfishness all on display. Ready, willing and able to fast in his 70(s and give his life in doing so, for justice. In one 21-day hunger strike in 1943, Gandhi lost 20% of his body weight, again, in his 70's. Worth dying from a hunger strike than to resort to violence.

These are the virtues and stories lost from history unless we seek them out. Not just read them, but use them. Apply the wisdom observed and learned in our own lives. So we too can fight for something bigger than ourselves. History is full of men and women that endured immense suffering. I'd say that amount of fortitude is lost today. As we complain on the slightest inconvenience.

Character is fate, as an old expression goes. What does your character say about you? What is fated to you based on such character?