Comments on: On Resilience

By: Maria Theresa Maggi

Maria Theresa Maggi — Sun, 05 Nov 2017 17:03:55 +0000

Dear Gena, thank you for this beautiful comment. Your insights always have the effect of making me go back and read what I wrote again, and to reflect and see it anew, or verify that I did actually say that, and how it could have the effect in the insight you shared. That is a treasure beyond gold. I’m so honored you will regard this post as your personal angel card. You are right; learning not to take oneself so very seriously can be tremendously hard work, and my heart goes out to the mentally gifted fifth grader in you, who, along with my students, had already been locked up in that “prison.” I think the road to laughter and silliness from that place is often dusted with a little grace–it comes at unexpected moments, as long as we are willing to try, no matter how feeble we may see our own attempts. Grace certainly finds you, I see it over and over again, each time you stick your toes into uncharted water. That’s a blessing for me to witness as your friend and sister blogger. xoxo

By: Gena

Gena — Sun, 05 Nov 2017 12:49:40 +0000

Maria, your “warrior’s uniform” is beautifully described. And I know what resilience means to you—the word, the practice, the essence of it—so it was a very special treat to read this beautiful, intimate tribute to it.

I also love how you evoke laughter and silliness as being salient (!) features of resilience as a practice. These are easy qualities to overlook, and yet they are profound. 18 months ago, I told my therapist that one of the reasons I’d come back to therapy was that I felt I was becoming humorless. I felt young, yet brittle and frozen and irritable nearly all the time, and it scared me.

Much of my healing process has resided in learning to laugh again, to find the absurdity and levity and lightness in everyday life. It isn’t work to be silly or light-hearted, but for me, softening and opening and learning not to take myself so seriously (like your “mentally gifted” students did) has actually been incredibly hard work, and I think those are the prerequisites of learning to see humor and light in all of life’s experience.

So, I’m going to regard this post as my own angel card, a reminder that the trampoline is underneath my feet even when my body feels heavy. Thank you for sharing; I know I’ll keep all of these meditations close to me.

xoxo

By: Maria Theresa Maggi

Maria Theresa Maggi — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 19:42:03 +0000

You are most welcome, Diane!

By: Diane

Diane — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 19:41:00 +0000

Beautiful! Thank you

By: Maria Theresa Maggi

Maria Theresa Maggi — Sun, 15 Oct 2017 05:59:46 +0000

Thank you Lee! I always love to get feedback from you about what I write! I’m glad this post helped remind you that resilience can have many faces. I like the way you put that. Sending you gentle thoughts of “bounce-back” for your foot trouble–a true “spring” in your step. 🙂 xo

By: Lee

Lee — Sun, 15 Oct 2017 00:38:48 +0000

Hi Maria, I loved this post! I needed to be reminded of the beauty of resilience, and the fact that it can have different faces. Sometimes an act of resilience is putting on a goofy joker hat, sometimes it’s trusting that function will returning after pushing “too hard” (I’m having trouble with one of my feet right now that’s been persisting for months, so I’m seeking that sort of resilience!), and sometimes it’s thinking of the angel on the trampoline, even when the card is long gone.

Thanks for the inspiration and sharing your story!

By: Maria Theresa Maggi

Maria Theresa Maggi — Tue, 10 Oct 2017 19:49:59 +0000

Dear Veronica, thank you so much for this amazing heartfelt comment. It means the world to me. “The non-permanence of any one state”–I love the way you articulated that. You are stronger than you know, so keep on. So glad we are connected!! I am a better writer to have such wonderful readers as you. xoxo

By: Veronica

Veronica — Tue, 10 Oct 2017 16:39:22 +0000

This post stirred so many emotions in me – sadness, fear, anger… but also hope. I try to block out the fact I have MS; pretend it doesn’t exist… Somehow like talking about it will make it “real” and that it’s only a matter of time before things get worse. But then I read your stories, like this- how it seemed hopeless – and yet! that resilience, that bounce back. The giggles, the living of life. The getting through. The non-permanence of any one state. Working on calmness and relaxation instead of panicking – things I’m working on. Your last line is so powerful.
I’ve only recently heard of “angel cards” – I’m glad you gave a full explanation. They seem like a nice reminder of focusing our thoughts. And I hadn’t heard about the clowns with the white supremacists- that was a wonderful idea! Fizzle out the aggression with silliness.
Thank you for sharing your stories and perspective; it is so very comforting. xoxo

By: Maria Theresa Maggi

Maria Theresa Maggi — Mon, 09 Oct 2017 21:06:00 +0000

Thank you so much, Carole! I love to here how my words reach my readers. I am glad you made it through difficult times. Here’s to smooth sailing, when we can get it, and good navigational skills when we can’t! xo

By: Carole Kenna-Nelms

Carole Kenna-Nelms — Mon, 09 Oct 2017 20:48:48 +0000

Hello Maria, Another lovely and moving blog read… I do not have MS but I have had some very difficult times that have knocked the wind out of me and left my sails torn and hanging. You just amaze me with your beautiful insight. I thank you for sharing with me and enjoy your talent! Hugz, Carole in PA