Resilience

Have you seen our new video on overcoming Breast Cancer?  If not, then check it out.  You’ll meet Jackie, an amazing and inspirational woman whose story is one of resilience in the face of this scary, chronic condition.  She makes the point of saying she’s not a survivor, she’s an overcomer; a word that conveys more hope and power in dealing with her illness than does surviving.  She even says that having cancer has done her some good.  Ponder that a while.     

I admire the resilience it takes to say that, and am reminded of a recent news blurb I read in “The Week” about Michael J. Fox, star of “Family Ties” and the “Back to the Future” movies, who has severe Parkinson’s Disease.  Nowadays, at some point virtually every day, his limbs go entirely slack, his speech slurs, and he suffers from spastic tremors.  Yet despite this, he manages to remain active and credits his disease with bringing him closer to his wife and children.  “I really love my life.  For everything that’s worse, there’s something that’s better.  Yes, it’s a horrible condition.  But it’s part of an amazing life.  And not an ‘otherwise amazing life.’  It’s part of what makes my life amazing.”

It sounds a bit like Jimmy Stewart in "It's a Wonderful Life."  Resilience in the face of hardship.  We know it when we see it.  Watch Jackie’s video and you’ll spot it.  How does it develop?  Can it be learned?  If so, can it taught or shared?  I want to hear your thoughts on this.   

Jan