Resilience

I'm a transplanted Coloradan, who hasn't lived in this state a full year yet.

Oh, how impressed we were with this new charming city the Army sent us to work, live and call it home last summer.

The majestic Pikes Peak Mountain alng with other mountians in the Front Range is the backdrop of this city.

Its sky so high with many shades of beautiful sky blues, its air so refreshing to breath in, is this place

where truly the outdoors are beckoning you. Knowing the short duration of the summer here

and the fact we were already in August, we felt rushed to get some taste of the best time of year

even in the mist of moving in and unpacking.

When we drive toward the mountain, in second, we are at the foot of the mountain. Even if we drive away from the mountain to the east, the snow-capped mountain view fills the back mirror. Here, it seems, you can never get away from the mountain view. Luckily my house faces the mountain. Every morning, I expect to see the mountain as I open my curtains.

What I did not realize, however, was it's nature of becoming whatever it wants to be.

It loves to play hide-and-seek, all day, whenever it wants to, even without having anybody to play with.

Lately it's been hiding quite often.

When the mountain is not visible, we would get rain or snow.

Sometimes I wonder how real Coloradans cope with this kind of weather, which not only

the distinctions of seasons are fussy, but also the order of seasons is mixed up.

The Coloradans say they never put away winter clothes even in summer and vice-versa.

When weather was much warmer a few weeks ago, I was so sure that finally long winter was moving out. And the season to care the law has come. So I wanted to know if it was ok to turn the sprinkler on.

But my next door neighbor warned me the danger of more frost and snow in the future and told me
to wait until maybe the third week of May.

“How can it be?” “It's already so warm.” I questioned him in my doubtful voice.

"This is Colorado." he said.

Since that conversation, we had a hail storm that lasted more than an hour, many more snowy

and cold days. It felt like winter will continue throughout the year.

When the weather is like this, boredom sets in me and my energy level is low.

I still struggle to get to know where I live, but so far this is a place, where finding a pattern is almost impossible. Instead I have to come up with my own pattern of life.
While I can’t help envying those who already enjoying beautiful spring colors all around them,
a word, 'resilience' popped in my head.

Such fortitude of resiliency in a person is what we have been trying to ingrain in our
son's character as parents. It may not come easily, but it's a must characteristic of one,
if he wants to weather all unsuspecting circumstances and come out strong and 
come to enjoy even such nature of life.
Ironically we acquire that only through adversities.
No pain, no gain as always.

Dogwood is standing tall without even losing a tiny limb. The tiny dainty looking flowers still blooming

and still looking happy even after hails and snow. Once bare tree limbs are still keep budding.

In spite of adverse weather condition, I still see the life in all these.

I see resilience all around me.

Slowly the mountain appears and its surroundings become clear.

The weeds in the field are still strong and spreading.

Green is the color of life, growth and resilience.

Actually in anything that is living and growing, I see resilience.

Transition so slow and difficult, it's not taking place according to my expectation of calendar,
but I am going to savor every minute of it and even every setbacks. Such is life here.