Word to the Wise:

Fortitude is a very important spiritual attribute that one must possess when pursuing justice on behalf of the oppressed.  Fortitude is the strength of mind that enables one to encounter danger or bear pain or adversity with courage. Yet, fortitude without patience and perseverance is futile.

Perseverance is characterized by one's continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition, even when it takes a long time.  One cannot expect a quick victory when battling against injustice, especially where the perpetrators are private, state, and or federal government actors.  But in the final analysis, patience is key.  Patience is characterized by one's ability to accept delay, suffering, or annoyance without complaining or becoming angry.  Indeed, to be the consummate professional, one must patiently pursue justice.

The uninitiated and neophytes naively believe that successful campaigns are swift.  Adepts understand that the victor is the one that endures until the end.  Before you embark on your next pursuit, be sure to pack an extra dose of patience, perseverance, and fortitude.  And remember, though you may be often tried, you will never be denied, if you're willing to be tried again.  "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."  I Corinthians 15:58 (KJV).