The Elasticity of Youth
Words by Mike Palin, St Albans
Discovering our superpower of resilience can enable us to scale these crazy times.
Resilience
noun
1. the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.
2. the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity.
There is something about the word ‘resilience’ that I love. It’s got a little bit of power in it, it feels good to say and it feels even greater to possess. I have been reflecting on my inability to adapt to the current situation as each week passes. I don’t think I was designed to be in lockdown and I am discovering just how set in my ways I am. But I want to learn and I have noticed a good way to learn, is to take a lead from my son Zach who is 9. Both him and our youth group have this almost Marvel-like superpower and are able to ‘flex’ a bit more in these crazy times.
But the more I think about this word resilience, I realise it is an actual superpower! It can give you strength, save you, save others and enable you to perform feats which without it would be impossible. I am not sure I possess this superpower yet but I am surrounded by people that I can learn from. To look to Zach as a start point, I think the key to resilience from him is being thankful for the everyday and also seeing the joy in the utterly simple things. I am humbled each night when we pray with Zach that he gives thanks, even after a relatively ordinary day, for an amazing day, amazing meals and prays that tomorrow “will be even better than today.” I know something I hope to do this week is to start making a list of all the things I am thankful for, maybe you could do that to, it will act as a reminder of good things when you find yourself having a harder day.
I can’t control lockdown, when the virus will end, other people’s behaviour or even how much loo roll there is. But I do have a bit of control over how much time I spend on social media, how often I enjoy being out in God’s creation and taking time to simply breathe! It has really helped me think about how much time and energy I spend on things I cannot alter. Zach has a much simpler and more refreshing outlook on life, and I think his more youthful and thankful approach is actually the key to discovering the superpower of resilience. I guess things are a little simpler when we are younger; food is provided, getting a job isn’t high on the agenda, making sure the house is clean and tidy doesn’t always seem to be important! But what being younger has reminded me, particularly in my boy, is the art of ‘simple joy’. What I mean by that is allowing the very obvious things, the very simple things in life, to be what restores us and feeds us.
Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. - Isaiah 49:13
The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy. - Psalms 65:8
Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. - Psalms 96:11-12
It is interesting that throughout the bible creation reacts with joy! We have the heavens shouting for joy, mountains bursting into song, trees singing for joy and the sea resounding. I wasn’t sure what ‘resound’ meant so I looked it up what and it says “to fill or echo throughout a place.” The earth, it seems, is responding to what is going on around it, and its response is to sing, to shout for joy and to allow it’s joyful voice be heard in a resounding way! How is it a mountain sings more than me, a tree is more joyful than me? Now I know both the mountains and trees have a certain creative splendour that maybe I do not, but come on Mike, sing!
I began with this definition of resilience: the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity. I wonder whether my own ability to ‘spring back into shape’ will be helped by my embracing of simple joys. I am finding the lockdown hard but I am also aware of many, many things that are bringing me joy. Like many people I am discovering simple joys in the ordinary, in things that were always there but maybe I was too busy to notice!
Did Superman always know how to use his powers, did Jack-Jack carry on playing with his abilities, discovering what he was able to do or did they just know? Either way there is a sense we don’t just find resilience, we learn it, we build it within us through the experiences we face. I think we learn it by being more aware of what is in our control and what is not. So much is out of my hands at the moment and I really need to let some of those things go. But there is much I can hold onto; a vast array of simple joys, of people, of childlike activities, that will feed my soul.
Maybe like creation I should spend some time singing out, rejoicing, resounding the simple joys in my life, they will then act as a reminder to me for what I have. Maybe then my superpower of resilience will grow, encourage others and enable me to make it through to whatever is next.
This is an edited version of Mike’s blog post that can be found in full here.
Words by Mike Palin, St Albans
May 19
