We only truly know ourselves as far as we've been tested

We all hold an ideal image of who we are: we believe ourselves to be brave, honest, altruistic, or resilient. However, these are merely hypotheses.

Self-knowledge is not just an intellectual exercise performed in front of a mirror or from the comfort of an armchair; it is something that emerges primarily through our confrontation with reality. Until we encounter an obstacle, we do not know our true nature or what we are truly capable of.

The trials of life are many: the test of fear reveals whether our courage is real or just a mask; the test of success shows us how we treat others; the test of pain unveils which spiritual or psychological resources we truly possess when everything else falls away.

Paradoxically, being tested is the only way we have to ‘hide less’ of ourselves and find those sources of strength, creativity, and love that would remain unknown even to us until circumstances demand their discovery. Adversity does not create our strength; it extracts it. Without the struggle, courage would not become courage.

The hardship defines our limits, but in defining them, it sets us free. It is the beginning of true maturity: accepting one’s vulnerability to discover one’s authentic power.”