Adversity is a valuable teacher, especially when put in its proper context.
It’s amazing how many of us stress over trivial things. It is as if we believe the world exists to make us happy, and every small obstacle becomes a major annoyance. We lose our sense of proportion and forget how fortunate we are that petty issues can occupy our attention. It is important not to forget that many of the world still struggle with fundamental life/survival issues.
It’s not a good thing when people who are blessed forget how truly blessed they are. Such forgetfulness tends to weaken our character, make us less charitable towards others, and make us more self-absorbed. Adversity is part of life. Thankfully, for those of us fortunate to live in relative wealth, we usually have the means to address our problems and live in communities that have built the capacity to solve issues expeditiously. Everyday life in America is much easier for the average person than just a few decades ago, despite what we would nostalgically like to believe.
The storm that recently ripped through parts of the United States would have devastated poorer countries for months, if not years, to come. Those of us who lost power will have it back on in just a few days, and life will revert to normal. Sure, the past weekend had problems, but after feeling sorry for myself for a few hours, it turned into a nice weekend. I don’t mean to downplay the negative impact the situation has had on other families, especially those still without power. However, I am hopeful they will be back on their feet quickly, and their family, neighbors, communities, local government, and the power company will make this a priority.
Life is all about context and perspective. Having survived a few days of inconvenience, I am now sitting in my beautiful, air-conditioned house, writing this blog on my fancy computer, listening to music on my state-of-the-art sound system, drinking my favorite brand of Irish tea, while intermittently glancing at the beautiful view outside my window after having eaten a full breakfast. Could life get much easier than this? Sure, I have my problems, but who doesn’t?
Past generations had to deal with much more adversity than we do today. They had to deal with settling new territories, a civil war, world wars, the Cold War, racial and gender discrimination, atrocious working conditions, economic collapses, massive unemployment, unconscionable infant mortality rates, and significant health epidemics. Somehow, they managed to confront their challenges head-on and deal with the ensuing difficulties. Failure was not an option. They realized that adversity was a part of life and dealt with it accordingly. They remained focused on maintaining resilience, creating an upward-sloping life curve, and fostering personal growth through these experiences. You can stand still, move backward, or go forward—it is up to you.
Related articles
- Overcoming It (thedistinctdot.com)
- Reasons for optimism in today’s world (globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com)
- Attitude of Gratitude (workthedream.wordpress.com)
- Hooke’s law (plinkyprompt.wordpress.com)
- Each New Day Is A New Blessing (cath-b.com)