The Power of Resilience is Within You

“I’ve survived harder things than this.”
- Quinn Heder

The Power of Resilience is Within You

Over the past month or so I’ve been searching through the back corners of my mind for familiar patterns of life. At first it was slow going as I thought of places, events and people that have been tucked away for quite some time.

As I’ve concentrated on this take it has become easier for me. It has been wonderful to remember things long stored away. It’s been an activity of discovery; kind of like searching for pieces of a puzzle that has been sitting in a battered box on the shelf in a closet. As I reached for the box and gently slid it away from its resting place, the dust began to shift and my mind began to stir ever so slightly.

Pulling the box toward me I took in a deep breath and pushed the air back in the direction of the box so as to blow the dust away. I could see the outside of the box in the form of my life and I was encouraged to open it and peer inside. It was then that I beheld the myriad of pieces making up my life’s experience.

What a pleasure it’s been for me to remove each piece and carefully examine it. I’ve found many pieces that have allowed me to make the perfect connections in putting the puzzle together, and the patterns are beginning to be bright, colorful and pleasing.

Through this process it’s become clear to me that talking with friends about different experiences has been very helpful. I love the process of seeing events and people through different eyes. I also love to compare these experiences with current events to see what I can learn from their similarities and differences.

This was the case as I sat talking with my friend Quinn Heder early last week. It was great for us to be able to compare notes and see that we had so much in common. I’m never disappointed with the revelation that I always have more in common with other people than I could ever imagine. It is these common threads that bind us into one human family and really give meaning to our lives.

As Quinn and I talked about some of the personal, health and financial challenges of some of the neighbors we had been visiting earlier in the evening, I was struck by one little statement he made speaking of his own life. “I’ve survived harder things than this!”

Then Quinn looked up at me and flashed his brightest smile. That’s when I knew he was right!
Since then, I’ve been mulling those words over and over again by taking the puzzle pieces of experience and examining them ever so carefully so as to see if I could match my pieces to Quinn’s. Then I thought of other friends of mine, Jim and June Dufford.

One Saturday the Duffords and I talked and talked about how our lives have changed through the years. We spoke of friends, locations, houses, schools and jobs. We talked about good times and hard times. Jim said, “We used to live in a one room cabin in Alaska! If there is one thing I know, it is that we could start all over again and be just fine.”

Our experience, knowledge and connections are of such huge value to us all. I’ve discovered that I live and associate with such amazing people that I can scarcely take it in.

If there’s one thing I can see very clearly through this recent trek of pattern searching, it would be called resilience. I see a wonderful power of recovery within each person I associate with. I see that when I talk with you! I see a person that has been through lots of challenges and has succeeded in a wonderful way. I see a person that has the ability to rely on personal strength, combined with the strength of others, to have everything good life has to offer.

If you doubt this even for a moment please don’t! Just sit down, close your eyes and think of the hardest challenge you’ve faced in your life. Now, take in a deep breath and feel your chest moving and your heart beating. Sit a little taller and say to yourself, “I’ve made it!”

You have made it! You have the ability within yourself to continue to make it every day. The pieces of your puzzle are contained within you. Make sure you take the time to appreciate the overall picture you have and will create in your life. And, as always, take others with you; you can’t imagine how magnificent your puzzle will be when created together with the people you love.