Adversity and Resilience

Man never made any material as resilient as the human spirit.  ~ Bern William

During times of major disappointment, it’s natural to feel anger, stress and sadness… to the point of wallowing in self-pity. It’s natural, but completely unhealthy. As adults, we know that emotional resilience is the best way to “bounce back” from devastating circumstances, and make the most of the hand we’ve been dealt. We also know how difficult this can sometimes be, which is why I’m awed by how much I can learn from the resiliency I sometimes see in young people.

While most of the families in Phoenix Children’s Project illustrate perseverance and flexibility, one family in particular stands out as a prime example of the kind of resilience we all could benefit from in times of adversity. Five years ago, the father in family #31 was electrocuted and died while fixing a ceiling fan. He dropped dead in front of all of his kids. It was an excruciatingly tough period for the family. Margaret, the 27-year-old grieving widow, was left to raise their six kids on her own.

Instead of letting the tragedy keep her down and further traumatize the children’s lives, she pressed on and did what she could to give the children a happy home, working the graveyard shift as an airport parking attendant. She had to wake the children in the middle of the night and take them to her mother’s house, and then pick them up in the morning before school. It was a tough routine, but they did it. 

Today, Margaret is remarried, working the day shift, and the oldest kids, Max, Juan and Lupe, are doing outstanding in school; all three of them made the honor roll. Next year, they will be entering the fourth, fifth and seventh grades.

We are proud to say that the boys are going to summer camp this year. St Joseph’s Youth Camp gave us a 50% discount, and the Knights of Columbus St. Thomas More, Council 12856 is paying the rest. Max, Juan and Lupe will spend a week in Morman Lake, near Flagstaff and they will get to enjoy kayaking, fishing, hiking, and everything else a young boy hopes for at that age.

We are pleased to be able to send the boys to camp, encourage them to do their best, and show that positive things can happen, even in the face of adversity. Max, Juan and Lupe have shown what it means to draw from your inner strength and overcome. They are the epitome of resilience.

After hearing this story of how these kids bounced back from a significant misfortune during their formative years, I have to remind myself that when things are challenging, there is always hope for what lies ahead. 

Lupe, 9

Juan, 10

                                                   

                                                   

Max, 12