Building Scar Tissue – Resilience 

“When we learn how to become resilient, we learn how to embrace the beautifully broad spectrum of the human experience.”

– Jaeda Dewalt

This interview with Maryanne Pope was originally published by Al Bell in “The Watering Whole,” a site dedicated to promoting positivity, as part of their Resilient Women series.

Al Bell: What is your definition of a strong woman?

Maryanne Pope: My definition of a strong woman is a woman who has the strength to stand up for what she believes in; the courage to face whatever she must face in her lifetime; the humility to realize the road is long and the journey arduous and regardless of the path she choses she cannot do it alone; and the wisdom to accept help when she needs it.

Al: A Resilient woman possesses these qualities. Explain.

Maryanne: A resilient woman is like a Bobo doll: no matter what challenges come her way, when she gets knocked down, she gets right back up again and carries on – but not before learning the lesson or lessons that need to be learned. A resilient woman possesses the qualities of a strong woman – courage, humility, and wisdom – mainly because of the challenges she has faced on her journey so far.

The first two women that comes to mind of resilient women is Cindy Kolbe and her daughter, Beth. Cindy was recently featured as a resilient woman in The Watering Whole.  Here is a description of Beth that I wrote in a recent blog:

“Beth’s reaction to the events that fundamentally altered the trajectory of her life was swift and certain. Basically, her response was: okay, this lousy thing has happened to me…now what I am going to do about it?

Then she proceeded to focus her efforts on physio, then finishing high school, then learning to swim, then becoming a competitive swimmer at the Olympic level, then teaching kids to swim, then going to Harvard, then to Yale Law School, then becoming a lawyer, then getting married…the list goes on.”

Like a Timex watch, Beth took a lickin’ (a HUGE one) and just kept on tickin’. Her mom, Cindy, demonstrated resilience in a different – but equally inspiring – way.

Al: What barriers if any may a Resilient Women encounter?

Maryanne: A resilient woman faces any number of potential barriers. But a resilient woman learns not to see them as barriers…as least not as barriers that will hold her back.

Please click here to read entire interview.

Maryanne Pope is the author of A Widow’s Awakening, the playwright of Saviour and the screenwriter of God’s Country. Maryanne is CEO of Pink Gazelle Productions and a Director with the John Petropoulos Memorial Fund. To receive her weekly blog, Weekly Words of Wisdom, please sign up here.