Never Give Up (November 2010)

From November 22, 2010

Winston Churchill said to a crowd of boys at a school in 1941:

"Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never -- in nothing, great or small, large or petty -- never give in..."
 
Sometimes it is so difficult to think of something to say, especially when I don’t feel in any position to say anything wise or give any good advice to anyone.  I have had to deal with so much sadness in the past few months that I have wondered how I could survive at all. 

I can only say that it all comes down to one word: family.  A family has the unique ability to collectively meet life’s challenges even when those challenges sometimes seem insurmountable.  But it has been my experience that nothing is insurmountable.  True, there are things in life over which we have little or no control, but we can do something about how we deal with those occurrences. 

We can become a closer family unit and a stronger, more united family.  In turn, that strength will teach us problem-solving skills and ways to support one another through difficult times, making the seemingly insurmountable become less burdensome.  We develop the power to shape our own lives.  We become better able to recover from setbacks; we become more resilient.

I once wrote that resilience is synonymous with the ability to recover.  I can recover.  I can pick myself up, dust myself off, and begin again – as a matter of choice. I may be stretched to the limits, but I can choose to be resilient and bounce back with greater strength than before.  These words are a comfort to me, especially during this time in my life.  They remind me that nothing is too hard and that if I put forth the effort, I will succeed.
  
You are important, and your life does matter.  You are loved.  Keep your head up, and stay the course.


Never give up...