Adversity is part of life. Some might have seen or experienced it more than others. Fighting the fight or struggling through the challenge might be one way to deal with adversity. But living with it and using it to make one better is a manifestation of resilience.
I remember an anecdote about the oak and the reed that I encountered in one of my philosophy classes in college. The oak tree stood deeply in the ground and raised its head boldly in the sky; while the reed may not be so grand yet can bend gently when the wind passed by. In the face of the storm, the strong winds tore up the tree from its roots; while the reed bent to the force of the wind and soon stood upright again when the storm had passed over.
Perhaps this anecdote describes my experiences of adversity as well as resistance and resilience. Throughout my life, I have faced adversities in all shapes, colors, and sizes. There were times when I tried to stand strong to resist the storm, and this either kept me on the ground or made me fall hard to it. There were also experiences when I bent with the rush of the wind and in effect weathered the storm. Yet in all these storms, I would have never survived them all by myself.
In these experiences, I found myself shuffling between the resistant oak tree and the resilient reed confronting the gusty winds of adversity. There were moments when I chose to stand firm on my ground and struggle with challenges head on, ready for a collision course. There were also times when I decided to adapt to the changes and welcome the cold and shivering breeze. There were instances when I bent and occasions when I got broken. Yet in all these, I recognize that I am not alone in picking up the pieces or in bouncing back to where I used to me. The Father, in His steadfast and providential love, served as the root – whether that of the oak tree or the reed – that anchored me through the adversities and challenges of life.
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