I knew he wouldn’t die, because his life was like the roots of a tree that went miles into the soil and miles around its trunk.  A tree that big can never die.  — Donald Miller, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years

My daughter Courtney loves to decorate for Christmas.  And I love that about her.  She will dive into the box of lights, grab some tape and thumb tacks, and string them throughout the house.  Over the weekend, she was hanging some lights in the basement, when the tape gave way and the strand dropped to the ground.  One of the bulbs next to the outlet broke upon impact.  And just above the outlet was a poster of Dave Flynn.

Dave Flynn was a good friend who passed away unexpectedly and tragically several years ago.  He was a larger than life character with a larger than life heart.  If you were with Dave, you were in for a good time.  And you were always protected.  He had a way of making you feel that all was right with the world.  So I have kept that old golf tournament poster in my basement to remind our family of that feeling of safety.

Courtney reached out to replace the broken bulb, not realizing the lights were still plugged in.  As her fingers were inches from the socket, a giant spark shot out and went straight to the poster (instead of toward Courtney) causing a mini explosion.  Courtney immediately pulled back from the lights.  The back of the poster was burned.  It could have been Courtney.  She snapped back into it and unplugged the lights.  Everyone was safe.

Could there be a scientific explanation?  Could it be a coincidence?  Or was she saved by a guardian angel?

All scenarios are possible.  But I choose to believe we have people looking out for us in this world.  And couldn’t we all use the extra help?

We Are Never Alone

Our lives are not easy.  There are challenges and pitfalls at every turn.  We struggle for financial security.  We search for meaning and motivation in our work lives.  We worry about keeping our children safe.  We battle with strong personalities in our work and personal lives.  We have to overcome more challenges than we ever dreamed possible.  There are times when we feel all alone in this struggle.  There are times when we do not have the energy to move forward.  But stagnation and resignation are not options.

What will get us moving?  What will inspire us in these darker times?  It could come from anywhere.  A soulful song.  A reflective book.  An act of mercy.  Encouraging words from a friend.  A spark from a poster!  The motivation is all around us.  But we have to be open to it. We have to believe things will get better.  We have to believe we are not alone in this world.

Resilience is a Team Sport

We won’t be able to recover if we put up walls and retreat into our shell.  We can choose to ignore the signs.  We can focus on the science and ignore the faith.  We can believe in coincidences and dismiss guardian angels.  We can stand alone against the rising tide of despair.  But we do so at our own peril.

Resilience is a team sport.  There are times  when even the strongest individuals are no match for the challenges that lie ahead.    There are times when we need to look externally for support and motivation.  We won’t be able to do it alone.  We need our close circle of family and friends.   We need them to help us stay resilient!

Some People Will Never Die

But resilience itself doesn’t make any logical sense.  Why subject ourselves to anymore heartbreak or loss?  Why not retreat and cut our losses? Because we owe it to our friends.  We owe it to our family.  We owe to anyone who has ever believed in us.  We owe it to all those in our inner circle who have gone before us.

There are certain individuals who will never leave us.  A parent, a child, a sibling, a spouse, a friend, a loved one.  They may leave this world, but their influence, their advice, and their genuine care will live on forever.  We can see them working through the people they have left behind.  We can see them in our everyday lives.  They will always be with us.

And if we have the faith and truly believe we are not alone,  there is nothing we can’t overcome.  There is nothing that will hold us back.

I believe we can’t explain everything in this world through science or coincidence.  I believe in guardian angels and the power of resilience.  I believe that some people will never die.