Alison Strandberg

Soul Messages from Within

Resilience

Alison Strandberg

Resilience

The dictionary’s definition of the word “resilience” is “elasticity” or “the ability of a substance or object to spring back into its shape”. I am currently learning just how to do this. Another definition is “the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties”. Perhaps somewhere within these words I can find the path forward. Elasticity is a word I can hold on to, as it implies that I can be stretched very far and still return to my original shape. This gives me hope.

When circumstances in life deal you a blow, there is the initial shock and windedness that can be completely physical. Once you start to breathe again, you can either look to the positive or fall into the negative. I am in the process of becoming unwinded at the moment and am finding that the way ahead is to walk the positive path, even though uncertainty and lack of trust do wave flags at me to hold my attention. I can see these flags, but they are worn and threadbare and the bright flags I see are the flags of strength, courage, love and hope.

When a change in circumstances comes along, there are a great many emotions involved. The initial feeling is one of gloom and despondency, but once the feelings are filtered, what is left in the sieve is the need to trust, to let go, to give in and to accept that a greater will is steering the ship. Once this is acknowledged and accepted, the elasticity of resilience takes over. You can expand again and see the future differently and perhaps accept that your part in it will bring great wisdom and healing not only for yourself, but for others. The “plan” has changed, but perhaps the abundance of love and sharing will be even greater on this new path. All challenge brings joy and wisdom as well as fear and sorrow.

The elasticity, which can make you expand long beyond your comfort zone, becomes the new “normal” and life can be managed again, changed perhaps, but not impossible. The ability to expand our capacity to love, to accept , to nurture and to give solace is truly amazing, when tapped into. We become fluid and flexible, able to move in all sorts of ways we did not even consider before the event happened. As we do this we influence others with us on the journey and we expand together and deal more easily with the difficulties ahead.

The loving, tender voice whispered to me,” Let go of the need to control. Accept that some things happen, which are so hard to bear they can initially feel as if they are going to break us, but if we listen inside we will learn to see the magnificence of the learning. We are souls who belong to a greater place and we never lose anything or anyone. All is present in love’s embrace.”