Sometimes you have to play the long game. You may lose the battle. You may have to limp from a war torn field with the little you have left to a chorus of mockery. The wounds inside you may burn angrier than anything that tore your flesh. But you know something they don’t know. Smoke billows on the horizon. The thundering of hooves signals aid. The next bluff might yet be the stage of your victory. But today, you have to accept the loss. 

It’s a conclusion that the heart doesn’t welcome easily. The next fight might not feel worth appearing for. It’s a hunt that must be trained, a discipline that has to be focused. Your heart will pound in your ears as blood rushes to your head. Hot tears will rip across your waterline. Injustice will redden your skin. And you will still forfeit today to join that thundering of hooves on the horizon. 

Sometimes you have to know when the cost is too steep. You must know what you’re willing to pay. And you have to keep an eye on the long game. Look for the advantages in your playing field, the weak knees of your opponent. The elephant could crush you so every time, but it moves clumsily. The graceful snake lies in wait until it knows it has the kill.