The Boxer

Simon and Garfunkel, early and later years

The lyrics of the timeless song ‘The Boxer’ by Simon and Garfunkel may be described as a lament, in which the singer describes his struggles to overcome loneliness and poverty; but the final verse switches to the figure of the boxer, who despite being defeated by ‘every glove that laid him down or cut him till he cried out in his anger and his shame,’ pulls himself up and resumes the fight. This song is about people who fall down and stand up again, similar to a boxer who finds himself bleeding on the canvas, but garnering enough courage to stand up and continues the fight. We all find ourselves in a low and weak place in life sometimes. On occasion, we even hit rock bottom. Indeed, there are moments when we fail so miserably that we give up hope of things ever being set right again. But where there is life, there is always hope. We all have the potential to rise above our failures and overcome our mistakes. Eventually things do get better. It may take some time, and on the positive side, ultimately, the path of every setback can lead to understanding, growth, maturity. On occasion, it may also require forgiveness. This Christmas, let us pray for people who feel lonely, or discouraged and disheartened, that they can rise up to the challenge and find hope and peace in their heart and looking at the Christ Child.