RESILIENCE

i have noticed several important qualities
that seem to recur in our exploration of the art of living
creativity
compassion
tolerance
integrity
humility
qualities to which yours truly constantly aspires
but seldom attains
to this list of qualities i could add gazillions
but today's blog is about resilience
(could that be the worst rhyming couplet in blog history?)
ah resilience
when the going gets tough...
yes sirree
it's resilience that sorts the sheets from the ghosts
overcoming the put-downs
taking the knock-backs
ignoring the nay-sayers
growing a thick skin
bouncing back up again
when the easiest thing would be to stay down
not giving up at the first hurdle
refusing to throw in the towel
sniffing out those twin imposters
triumph and disaster
keeping focused on the positive
refusing to dwell on the negative
recognising opportunities
where others see only problems
keeping your sights fixed on the target
not allowing yourself to get distracted...
bad day at the office?
what about all the good days?
put it behind you
argument with the wife?
remember that first kiss?
you still love her don't you?
your daughter won't go to bed?
how cute did she look today in her little ballet costume?
you'll live...
so much of this is about mental self-preservation
there are slingfuls of painful arrows to avoid out there
nasty harpoons and flame-throwers too
mortars, shells and even nuclear warheads
some people seem to actively seek out
all the nasty depressing stuff
they watch it on tv
listen to it on the radio
rub their own noses in it in the snoozepapers
wonder why they feel depressed
then spread the germs by regaling everyone else with it
oh there are plenty of reasons not to get up in the morning
genocide in the congo
mendacity in the cabinet
salacious gossip in the tabloids
thuggery on the local streets
you gotta watch out for all this stuff
don't ignore it
but stay alert
don't let it drag you down
focus out the hate, the fear, the ignorance and the trivial
focus in on compassion, love, beauty and wonder...
our friend resilience
sometimes it's even embedded in the national psyche
(stiff upper lip, anyone?)
just look at the german football team
and their performances in the euros
not to mention so many other big tournaments
all the big guns have or had resilience - in spades
the gandhis, the jesuses n the buddhas
the dylans, the cohens n the kilbeys
the monbiots, the chomskys n the pilgers
the humble boys at media lens
the less well known activists n campaigners
who slog away day after day
trying to make a small but significant difference
building up the positive karma to a critical mass
toppling the dominoes in the right direction
let's be like them
let's emulate them
let's follow them
and we'll get there in the end