Sweet are the uses of adversity
Normally man is desirous of happiness and prosperity and dreads adversity. Hardship and suffering are naturally unwelcomed and man loves a life of ease and comfort. The Shakespearean proverb, on the other hand, points out that adversity has its own uses and they are sweet. The proverb is not without a good deal of truth in it. It must be accepted that it is in the time of trouble and suffering that a man’s character is really tested. It is then that he shows either his weakness or strength. It is only the strong who can face a misfortune bravely and successfully. Weak hearted persons are likely to succumb rather than to overcome adverse circumstances. And it is only those, who can face a calamity coolly and find ways and means to override it, are ultimately successful in life. Adversity is thus a rich and valuable experience and training. It gives strength to one’s soul and heart. If Churchill had not shown almost superhuman courage and coolness during the awful days of German air raids, England would have been reduced to rack and ruin. And his example will continue to inspire generations of Britons and other peoples of the world. On the other hand, continued prosperity and comfort makes a man ease-loving and incapable of hard work or great sacrifice. It is this great truth which Becon so ably put in his famous saying: “Adversity best discovereth virtue while prosperity best discovereth vice.”
