Resilience

The word has captured my attention and made me think about what it means for me. What is resilience in my life, relationships, family, work, in a pandemic, and yes, in my faith?

The world has changed and is going to change more. The more I have thought about this reality I have decided that resilience is our best response.

It’s not about planning things that we think will turn out the way we expect. Trying for “bulletproof” is too rigid and requires perfect knowledge of the future.

Resilience is a commitment to a strategy, an attitude, and a system that works even when things don’t turn out the way we planned. Especially then.

Instead of planning for the best case scenario, we make the effort to consider how our lives and faith thrive when the best case doesn’t happen. Because that’s far more likely.

My dad was in the Navy during World War II. As a sailor he would always say that fixing on a point on the horizon is a good way to survive a storm.

But for most of us, faith, flexibility, community, and a sense of possibility is a good way to survive a storm. That doesn’t make it easier, but it’s likely a resilient path forward.

   John V. Clark, President/Partner
The James Company
(815) 353-8997
Email: jclark@jamescompany.com