DO OR DIE

by Fr. Anthony C. Ferrante

It was one of those quite recent, nail-biting matches of recurring inconsistency! The visitors to Old Trafford were outplaying the home team, and eventually going back home with three points. To rub salt into the wound, the visitors had not registered any wins against Manchester United since a long way back in time. The expectancy among the Red Devil support had been high. Yet, disillusion and frustration were reigning at the hallowed Theatre of Dreams. It was developing into a bitter pill to swallow.

Vitriolic chants were the run of the mill. It looked like a surge of defiance born out of years of alleged negligence and shameful ineptitude. In the closing stages of the game, only one person’s name was being echoed from the Stretford End, and that in loyal support. It was being made obviously clear that resentment did not lie with that person. They wanted to emphasize that they had not lost faith in him. There are quite a lot who believe that he has become the latest victim of desultory recruitment and planning.

A very rare action from the faithful home supporters made the protests even clearer. With less than fifteen minutes left for the referee to blow his final whistle, fans were leaving their seats to go out of the ground. The common query was going round and round, making people wonder when will the Red Devils return to their erstwhile accustomed glory. It was evident that a stand was in the offing. It is time to Do or Die! The time is ripe for a determined effort to succeed.

That is the crux of the matter. Something, or maybe even someone, is to be the do or die solution in order to determine whether there will ensue success or bitter failure. Ado or die situation is one that involves a determined or desperate effort to get free of restraint or constriction. It is tantamount to exerting a supreme effort on being aware that failure could be imminent. The expression means that one will not be deterred by any obstacle in an effort to reach an intended goal.

Mahatma Gandhi is a perfect example. He gave up his life in the quest for the independence of his country, India. He believed that one should do his best if he wants to achieve his goal. When there is a worthy idea, one should devote his entire life to embody it. His famous mantra was exactly Do or Die. He did not shirk necessary work or even suffering. Once the ball starts to roll, it is useless to halt half way. The target should be brought to the end.

Do or Die is relevant in different situations related to everyday life. Every single day, there are many people trying as hard as they can to solve their problems. There may be dire situations when they have to be strong and even coldblooded to stay alive, although the risk of a mistake is always present The surgeon that decides and effects an amputation is motivated by a Do or Die decision. A widow has to work hard to provide her children with everything they might need. The payment is rather low, but she will not give up and stop being patient and industrious. She is aware that she is free to stop, but she will not. She wants her offspring to have a decent kind of living. There is the young football enthusiast who desires to become a future professional footballer. He trains and works hard spending time and efforts quite conscious that if not, he will not reach his intention, even though in case of failure, he could take up a different direction. The good old soul that finds himself wondering if he is walking the right path. He may discover that he has gone awry somewhere along the spiritual road. Realization looms that he has to change certain activities or whatever is leading him astray. He knows he has to take drastic decisions...It could be a Do or Die situation. Relating to our youth stage, we probably came to the point where we found ourselves at a crossroads with so many choices to make. The final choice we made somehow distinguished, perhaps, what we were to become in the future.

Do or Die is evidently connected with the problem of choice. Decisions have to be taken, even if considered to be drastic or painful. When it is imperative to reach a certain particular goal, working hard or to “do” is the only way out. If the necessary efforts to make dreams come true are discarded, the consequence would be that that dream “dies”.

The Red Devils must “DO” in order to be resurrected, if not the outcome will be “DIE”. Courage and good will would bring the desired results. The decisions that could materialize will gauge success.

“The Red Devil’s spirit lives, it never died.”: Harry Gregg

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