The Ballad of the White Horse by G.K. Chesterton is an epic poem recounting the Catholic King Alfred the Great’s heroic fight to rally his people and defend England against Heathen Danish invaders. It masterfully intertwines historical events with mythic elements, delving deep into themes of faith, resilience, and the unyielding spirit of a Christian civilization standing firm in the face of chaos and despair.
Near the end of the poem, when Alfred is on the brink of total defeat, Chesterton beautifully weaves an image into the story:
Away in the waste of white horse down, an idle child alone,
played some small game through hours that pass, and patiently would pluck the grass,
patiently push the stone.
Through the long infant hours like days, he built one tower in vain –
piled up small stones to make a town, and evermore the stones fell down,
and he piled them up again.
And this was the might of Alfred, at the ending of the way;
that of such smiters, wise or wild, he was least distant from the child,
piling the stones all day.
And as a child whose bricks fall down re-piles them o’er and o’er,
came ruin and the rain that burns, returning as a wheel returns,
and crouching in the furze and ferns Alfred began his life once more.
From these humble, heartbreaking moments of starting over, Chesterton reveals Alfred’s impossible, glorious victory.
The profound key to Alfred’s triumph over the Heathen Danes is not that he was flawless, nor that he never stumbled, fell, or faltered. What made him a legend was one simple, unshakable truth: he never gave up.
Like a child at the beach rebuilding a sandcastle washed away by the tide, or a child stacking blocks after they tumble, Alfred rose again every time he fell. He failed, tried again, failed again, and then tried, yes, again. He persevered, and ultimately, he conquered.
And so, in this already too long post, I encourage you:
If your love life is blossoming, even in the smallest ways, may it continue to grow. May you find inspiration in books, in each other, and most importantly, in the sacred bond you share.
But if the weight of life – of children, of challenges, of the Cross – has caused you to stumble, to falter, or to lose your footing, take heart.
Begin again.
It’s not complicated. It’s not about perfection. It’s about choosing, every single day, to rebuild what matters most.
Your life of love and respect for one another is the most important thing in the world. It is what your children, your family, and the world around you need now more than ever.
So rise again, as Alfred did. Because that’s where the greatest victories begin.