bhaskar saikia

Gold is beautiful.

It glows with a warmth that few metals possess. From ancient temples to royal crowns, gold has adorned humanity’s most treasured symbols. It doesn’t rust. It doesn’t fade. It captivates. Yet, take this prized metal into battle, and its limits are exposed. Gold is soft. It bends. It breaks. It cannot shield you from a blade.

That’s the paradox.

Gold may be valuable, but it’s not reliable in all circumstances. In the chaos of war, it’s iron that protects. Iron, dull and unpretentious, absorbs the blow. While gold glitters in the treasury, iron earns its worth in the battlefield.

This contrast speaks volumes beyond metallurgy.

How often do we chase the “gold” in life—titles, looks, wealth, approval—thinking these will shield us when hardship strikes? We invest in image, in surface, in sheen. But when life becomes a battlefield—when we’re tested by loss, failure, or uncertainty—it’s not the gold that holds us up. It’s the iron within us.

Resilience. Grit. Quiet strength. These are the things that don’t dazzle but defend. They aren’t always admired until they’re needed. And sometimes, society forgets their value entirely.

Ironically, many wars—literal and metaphorical—are fought for gold. We go to great lengths for things that shine, often at the cost of things that endure. It’s a sobering truth.

Yet this isn’t an argument against gold. Gold still has its place. It represents vision, beauty, inspiration. It motivates. It decorates the victory—but it does not win the war.

So the question becomes: when you’re facing your own battle, are you relying on gold—or iron?

Because when the swords swing, when the storm hits, when things fall apart—it’s the solid, unshining qualities that stand between you and defeat.

Let gold inspire you. But let iron protect you.