The Wounded Lion (creative)

I guess in a way I've been holding back on writing this for quite some time.

You never know when you're ready to really move forward, until you are.

One day you're in a fight for your life, your heart, your soul. It takes years as a man to lick your wounds.

The younger lions take their pick of your pride, your territory, and you're lying alone, wondering if this is it. If it ends like this.

You've been beaten soundly by life, and you're ready to throw in the towel. People that you thought would have your back forever move on.

You're left bleeding alone. You still have to work, because the bills won't pay themselves. You stop going to the gym, because who cares.

With every passerby you believe you are saved, but they look at you and continue on, ignoring your pain.

The pain. It lingers. But today, it's not as much as the day before. Some days you relapse into the pain. You do everything you can to rid yourself of it.

In the distance you can see the young lions enjoying the attention of the pride, the lucky bastards. You limp on.

You try to avoid others now, knowing you are weaker than you once were.

"Is this it?"

"Is this what it is from now until the end? Why didn't I just die? Why don't I just give up?"

Somehow you continue walking, even if there's a limp.

You find yourself trying to eat better. You exert a little more energy some days than others, which is a start.

You check your wound. It's been months, maybe even years, but it still feels like yesterday sometimes that you were blindsided by the pride, by the young lions looking to take what was yours for so long. They did take it. And you lost.

But here you are, getting healthier. Getting, well, stronger.

Are we getting stronger? You begin working out, taking your diet seriously, doing a bit more at work, doing a bit more outside of work.

It's nice not having to take care of the pride, you decide. Let the young lions fight over it. Maybe one day you'll take it back, maybe one day you won't, but for now, you don't care.

Four years go by of you making yourself scarce. Another year of playing invisible. But you're stronger. Intentionally. You decide you've had enough of being wounded. You want real pride for yourself this time. You don't have anything to prove to anyone but yourself.

You're going to make a comeback. You have to.

It's possible you might be stronger now than you were before.

You're definitely wiser. Sometimes you get an ache where you almost lost your life.

You've been alone this entire time and didn't realize it. The pride will go where they go, regardless of whether it was fair or not. And you tried to play fair.

That almost got you killed. Almost mortally wounded. Never again.

Now, you'll destroy anything that crosses you. You'll do what you have to do. No feelings, no emotions, no thoughts, just you being king of the jungle.

The actual king.

You're not a wounded lion anymore.

You're the king. And when you're finished, there won't be any questions about it.

#selfimprovementformen #menslifestyle #lion #king