I think we all have the capacity to be at war with life...I think it could be viewed as self preservation at it's basic level. But...just because you can...doesn't mean that you should.
Being at war with life means to me that you are always on the look out for the next battle. Who will possibly screw you over next. You look for the negative in people and expect to find it.
Every setback is proof that the world is out to get you. You live your life on alert. Do it long enough and it shows in everything you do. I said...you do.
I have a perfect illustration (Now you are surprised at that?! LOL). I worked for a very large non profit years ago. I worked with very smart, very aggressive folks. I realized very quickly if you did not keep up with them...you would be rolled over. And keep up with them I did. I was very successful in my interactions within the organization.
Then I went to one of my high school reunions. I saw my college roommate and we chatted a bit. After a few minutes she stopped me and asked what happened to me. I asked her what she meant. She said that I had not said one nice thing about anyone in the room...and my tone seemed so much different....almost harsh. I responded rather flippantly that she did not know where I worked...you need to develop an edge to survive and I was not only surviving... I was thriving there. She looked at me and said, "and aren't you proud?"...and walked away. Yikes!!!
My immediate thought was how rude! Then after awhile what she said stayed with me and I realized that I had changed. What I know know and didn't maybe have the words for then...was that I was ready for battle every day. Sometimes I was advancing and sometimes I was just waiting. But battle ready I was.
It was a stunning example to me of choice. I was choosing to look at things from a "going to war" perspective. I soon came to the conclusion that..."just because you can...doesn't mean that you should."
Tomorrow the costs to yourself when you choose "war".
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