Sometimes it seems life is nothing more than a constant fight. These battles take a variety of shapes and forms. Some of us have to fight physical battles, whether in an actual scuffle with another or due to a disease or infirmity. Some fight mental and emotional battles, whether in relationships, personal willpower, and other psychological issues. Then there are battles that each of us fight which are neither inherently physical or emotional. One such battle is against time. Much has been written about that, so I'm not going to waste my time repeating what has already been said, other than reiterating that the battle against time can never be truly won, only manipulated.
Another battle that each of us fights but not all of us take the time to consider is the war of relevance. We can lose relevance by over-activity, under-activity, and no activity at all. One day we can be of utmost relevance, and the very next expendable.
Case in point: I was bored the other night, so I read some old instant message conversations between myself and a female friend of mine. I don't know why I did it. Apparently I'm a glutton for punishment. Nonetheless, I started with some conversations from last October and November and read up to the big fight we had in January. At the time, I thought I had lost relevance due to the big fight, but in re-reading the words of my life, I realized that I had lost relevance about a month before that. Apparently, for whatever reason, I must have fulfilled my full purpose in her life, and I was rendered irrelevant, an entrenchment of which I seriously doubt I will ever escape, no matter what I say or do or how much I care about her.
Now that case was a bit extreme, but think about it. How many friends did you have three years ago that you don't speak to now? Practically everyone I went to high school with I lost contact with. Once graduation came, the war of relevance came, and I lost.
Even with my closest friends, things have evolved from hanging out almost every day in 2003 to being lucky if we talk once a week now. In this case, have we lost relevance with each other? I wouldn't say that. Actually, it would seem that our seeing each other is now irrelevant to our friendship because we've progressed to that point of trust and knowing each other.
So what happens when we try to fight the war of relevance? Often, the results are not pretty. We strive so hard to revive what once was that we sacrifice the present and the future. Not only that, but we compromise who we are and who we are becoming. Sometimes, it's worth that fight, but other times it is not.
I say all of that to inform you that you are fighting a battle (and most likely losing) every day. In this case, it's not always a bad thing to lose, nor is it necessarily a good thing to win. It is an inevitable component of life, and while it can be painful, it can also lead to progress.
