What Happens When You Finally Give Up

There is a right time to give up, and only you know when that is.

An oft repeated and oft annoying phrase people use is “Never give up.” What exactly do they mean by this?

People give up all the time. There’s nothing wrong with it. The picture of the fighters above has one fighter who had to give up the fight, either because he was TKO-ed, or because the referee decided for him it was time to give up. He fought the good fight, was defeated, and now it’s time to catch his breath and go back to his life, maybe to train for the next fight.

If people didn’t “give up,” many would still be in stultifying and/or abusive relationships. Is that why they were put here, to never give up on this person, marriage, friendship? Give up what, if we may ask?

Give up waiting for a partner to change, to get some therapy, to find closure and put down the baggage they’re carrying? How long are we supposed to wait? Long enough to satisfy someone else’s judgement, or long enough to satisfy ours?

If people didn’t give up when the time is right to give up, they might forever run around in circles trying to find someone who will stop abusing them, produce their play, publish their book…