Often times I always hear people use this quote “No retreat, No Surrender.”I thought probably when you are in the midst of war or battle and you have to defend your country maybe yes. But I think that depends upon your situation.
I knew a lot of friends who are being caught believing and saying “I'm not going to stop and I won't give up…But they end up totally in trouble. Sometimes it's hard to really accept that we need to withdraw because we thought it's a failure and it's the biggest shame on our part. But don't you know that you need to retreat so you can be successful?
We were in the midst of “relief operation” at the same time finding out friends and relatives who are missing after the killer typhoon hit the province and killed thousands of people mostly elderly and children. My friend Jonathan promised her aunt whose two sons are missing because of the flashflood. “He was crying and said I promise you I'm going to find my cousins and I'm not going to stop until I find them.”
Day after day we walk along the river bank hoping we'll find his cousins but we end up helping other people digging out their dead relatives from the mud flow. Two weeks passed by and then a month and no cousins was found. I told Jonathan, “It's time to leave the river bank.” He was very upset and said “No I can't leave I can't fail I will find them.” And he end up sobbing. We haven't found his cousins but we decided to retreat, it was not the easiest way but I believe “we need to retreat”.
We usually misunderstood this word as a failure. But thinking to live in reality it's a need. After Jonathan and the team left the river bank we realized how it's easier for Jonathan and the team to accept that his cousins are gone we may not know where they are physically but we knew that there was this Loving Creator who is taking care of them. I finally found out Jonathan was helping more people, feeding and teaching children in an amazing way to this time. “Getting away to get a way” was his motto.
We need time to retreat so we can reiterate who we are and strike back stronger, more successful, and happy. Not strike back still bitter and having a double trouble but ends up a wonderful person who is fulfilled and free.
