Good morning, staff and students of JMC. I am Dakare Michelle of SS1C and I am here to present to you the virtue of this week, RESILIENCE. 
According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, resilience is “the ability of something that was bent or broken to return to its original state”. This definition only gives a brief idea of this important virtue as it purely refers to resilience as being elastic, so to say, and does not give the full meaning with regards to the human mind.
So, let me ease your minds and throw more light. Have you ever wanted to cry so much after seeing that 40% or 50% in a Classroom Exercise but heard that little voice telling you, “It’s okay, try harder next time” and that made you do otherwise? Well, just so you know at that point in time, YOU WERE RESILIENT! How about that feeling when you wake up in the hostel, but don’t feel like moving a muscle. You just want to sleep some more. But something deep within you says, “Come on, get up and go and face JMC stress again!” That is resilience!!
Resilience shows the adaptability of the human mind and character. It is also the ability to bounce back from setbacks, adjust to challenges, and keep going even when things seem tough. It’s about not giving up when life gets hard and finding strength within yourself to move forward. Resilience entails the ability of someone to pick up from that dead end he or she arrived at, and be courageous to start again. It enriches your capacity to work on a project continuously after multiple failed attempts just so you can get it right. We know the story of how Thomas Edison failed over a thousand times before he got the light bulb invention. Now that is a classic example of an incredibly resilient spirit.
A common misconception about resilience is that it means “bouncing back quickly” or “never feeling weak or defeated.” Many people think that resilient individuals don’t struggle or feel down. However, true resilience is not about avoiding feelings of vulnerability or sadness. It isn’t about avoiding difficulties, because obviously, at times, difficulties would come our way, but it is about facing them with a positive attitude and having the belief that you would overcome them with time.
A setback doesn’t mean we’ve failed. It’s just part of the learning process, and it’s okay to stumble. In fact, resilience often shines brightest when we are faced with adversity as it is that inner strength that gives us the courage to grow and work harder.
Resilience is not just about surviving, it’s about thriving, learning and growing from every experience whether positive or negative. The quote by J.K Rowling: “Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life”, can truly help you understand the full impact of resilience in our lives. Take for instance, in the just concluded inter-house sports, Teresa House, a house that has been known for always getting the last place, finally succeeded in moving up and getting the third place. One of the keys to resilience is determination, they did not like the fact that they were always last, they identified this problem and were determined to make that right, they worked hard and eventually arrived victorious. Even though they were not first, they progressed and that is what really counts. It doesn’t matter how many times you fail, what truly matters is how you can get up afterwards, stronger than ever.
Take a moment to think about a time when you’ve faced something difficult. Maybe it was a time you didn’t do well in an exam or a moment when things just didn’t go the way you planned. At first, it may have felt like a defeat, but what did you do afterward? Did you quit, or did you find a way to push through? That is resilience in action. St. Ignatius of Loyola was bedridden for months with a shattered leg. But he never gave up. He kept a firm, resilient mind. When he could walk again, we went on pilgrimage, studied with children, and went on to find the Society of Jesus. Today, we have the Jesuits and JMC because of the resilience and vision of St. Ignatius of Loyola.
Resilience isn’t just an over-night value that is built up; it is a process and can be seen as a muscle that gets stronger the more we use it. TRUST THE PROCESS. One key to resilience is having a growth mindset, that is believing you can improve and always learning from your mistakes. When you face a challenge instead of thinking “I can’t do this”, try thinking “I can learn how to do this”. When you look at your grades that do not look so good from the first and second regime, do not give up. Keep pushing.
Remember, always be patient with yourself. If you are working on a group project and things aren’t exactly going so well, do not give up on your team mates but instead, be encouraging and supportive to each other. Trust me, this would make the work more progressive. Also, set realistic goals, never be too hard on yourself and practice self-compassion.
So, I’ll leave you with this line from Andra Day’s “Rise Up” “And I’ll rise up, I’ll rise like the day, I’ll rise up, I’ll rise unafraid, I’ll rise up, And I’ll do it a thousand times again.” These words are a reminder that no matter how many times life knocks us down, we have the strength within us to rise again, unafraid, and ready to keep going. It’s a message that can motivate anyone facing a challenge to never give up, no matter how many times they fall.
The key is to never stop trying and to always believe in your ability to overcome. So, let’s all embrace resilience this week, as we continue with mock exams for the SS3s and JS3s begin, and the rest of us prepare for our end of term exams. Let us forge ahead, knowing that no matter what challenges come our way, we have the power to rise up and keep going.
Thank you and have a pleasant week!
Dakare Michelle
Class of 2027