Resilience

This is one I think I've got a pretty good handle on, one trait I can confidently say I posses. Now, I've never had any really terrible things happen to me, and I'm thankful for that. But I feel that I am good at bouncing back when setbacks do occur; I can make the most of potentially harrowing situations, grow and shine through adversity, and keep up hope for the future.

I've always been a firm believer that things will be better in the morning. I remember when I would be upset as a kid, my dad would tell me that I should go to sleep, and if I was still feeling the same way in the morning, I could decide what to do about it then. This is still largely my MO today. I know that as the day drags on and I get tired, I lose perspective and the ability to think clearly, making those moments before bed often some of the hardest. It would be easy to wallow in that place, but in my experience, things have never failed to be better in the morning -- even if it's only a little bit, they are still always better.

Largely, resilience comes from having hope, and hope is one of the most important things to me. I believe that God has amazing things in store for my life, that he has plans I don't yet know -- and that's what I'm living for. I have to believe this -- it's what keeps me going. Even though things happen that I don't understand and life twists and turns in unexpected ways, I know that it is all happening on God's timeline, and so I must move on, forge ahead, and look forward to what is coming next.

And when I look back at where I've been and where I am, even over the last few months, let alone the last few years, it's proof to me that I can and must continue to be resilient, no matter what challenges there are. Because there is something worth getting to on the other side of the loneliness, something worth waiting for through the moments of desperation and despair.


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"It's sixteen miles to the promised land, and I promise you, I'm doing the best I can." - Rilo Kiley