Resiliency

My youngest graduated from high school this week. The speeches at graduation were focused on resiliency.

One of the students used the example of learning to walk as a child, with nothing but sheer determination and joy, and just trying and trying until they master the skill. And then, seemingly all of a sudden, they can do it without even thinking about it. Pure resiliency. And through that process of growing, which can be so very uncomfortable in the messy middle, you are learning.

I think the piece of that story that I personally sometimes forget is that it doesn’t ever end. Sometime when I feel discouraged with something new and I feel that frustration of the messy middle, I feel like giving up. Because I think after all this time the learning should be over, but it’s an ongoing process of growth.

It’s just a step in the learning process which will never end. It reminded me that this messy middle is a part of the process to embrace because it leads to the part where it becomes easier, when you make it through to the other side.

But it’s not over…the next opportunity for growth is just around the corner. When you can embrace that, you can more easily float with the current instead of swimming against it.

Let’s please remind each other of that when we forget, okay?

All three of my kids graduated from my alma mater.

My family, Mike, me, Isabel, Emily and Alex