....a lot

"Little by little, a little becomes a lot."

~ Tanzanian proverb

...what was war?

I dream of giving birth to a child who will ask, “Mother, what was war?”
-Eve Merriam, poet and writer (1916-1992)

...struggles develop your strength

"Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength."

~ Arnold Schwarzenegger

...not calm water

"Anyone can take the wheel of the ship in calm water but it's not so easy when it's not calm water. You can't just enjoy the good times, you have to be resilient in the tough times."

~ Sean Dyche

...bends is stronger than

"The bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak that resists."

~ Japanese Proverb