The Power of Resilience (English subtitles)
Gaza - Caracas
This short documentary (2:42) was made nine years ago... It is amazing how fast the time passes and how relevant still are the most valuable humanist messages.
We were but three filmmakers, struggling against the difficulties of poverty and the corruption of the cultural institutions. However, in our tiny team of researchers-artists, there was a strong commitment and a great clarity of purpose: to make films that would show the most beautiful qualities of the people that resist the worst difficulties that we can imagine.
In this video, Chilean-Palestinian psychologist Nelly Marzouka explains the power of resilience developed by the Palestinian people. Through her personal history (since she also had to emigrate) we understand the drama of Palestine, as well as the capacity of human beings to overcome traumas and catastrophes.
At that moment my restless mind, always inclined to philosophy and psychology, kept asking if perhaps the so-called "resilience" (a trendy concept) could be no more than a flowery name to hide a mere resignation.
Now, 9 years later, living and suffering the catastrophe in Venezuela, I can understand the matter far better.
Surviving to... perhaps, someday, live
Resilience indeed arises in the acceptance of a terrible reality and, in that sense, it does contain a great burden of resignation. But it is not the bitter resignation of the desperate. It is, instead, the wise resignation of the one who understands and accepts the inevitability of his misfortunes, his inability to radically transform his situations.
Life overwhelms me. I'm unable to solve this... but I'm still living, and that's an opportunity.
This last shot was, for us, a symbol of the phoenix, the mythical bird of the eternal rebirth
This, which may seem unfortunate to those addicted to optimism, is actually a very powerful attitude to resist the worst tragedies. Accepting our reality, regardless of how painful it can be, is the first step to feel peace in the midst of conditions that we cannot change.
We must understand that the world transcends us, the vicious games of politicians and powerful people do not stop, and our longing for a better life is not a factor that determines the end of our social conflicts. Our voices are inaudible and our suffering invisible to all those who feel themselves too big to look down.
But while we might not be able to define the outcomes in the societies where we live, we can still decide our reactions to the difficulties of our lives.
It is our firm awareness of our responsibility towards those things that really depend on us, which makes the difference between a resilient lifestyle and the chaotic and confused lives of those who only increase the pain of the world with each reaction, for their inability to respond wisely to life... their inability to accept what lies beyond our desires.
You can share my writings on your social networks and websites; but be so kind as to inform my authorship, as well as the source of the text with a link to my blog.
~Spirajn Senpretend~
Website
Patreon
BitBacker
Steemit
Weku
Busy
DTube
Facebook SS
Twitter SS
[email protected]
If you want to support my work but this post got beyond 7 days old, please go to my most recent publication, so that your upvote could really reward my efforts.
You could also send a little tip to my wallet.
In any case, I will be grateful for your kind support.
Posted from my website:
https://spirajn.com/power-of-resilience/349/
▶️ DTube
Greetings @spirajn, I start by saying wow, the video left me astonished, more than anything the part in which they are recording and from nowhere they begin to shoot.
I clarify that, it is not that the bombings to the city not, but it is something that already had seen in other means and of equal form it is impressive, as it is possible to live under attack (shots, bombs, etc) constantly.
Although here, the "war" is not as it is in Palestine, we are still being forced to emigrate at least, that is the quick solution that many give to this issue, but there are many who put a face to the situation, because they respect those who want to leave, who would not like a "quiet" life, but in turn to those who stay, too, because they are the desire to say I do not move, I stay until the end, with me you will not be able!
Because as you know they are looking for that is to break us, to make us see ourselves in such a state that we feel useless, and that we are afraid of what may happen.
The phrase that you comment ("Life overwhelms me. I'm unable to solve this... but I'm still living, and that's an opportunity.") but it can't be true, and more so in situations like the one we are living, I think we've all felt just like that in that deep hole where we say to ourselves "how do I get out of this one", "what can I do to change my present".
And that's when, at least I turn to God for help, to enlighten me and that capacity of discernment to know how to make good choices or, in any case, to understand what needs to be done.
Without further ado, thank you for reading my comment and I bid you farewell wishing you a happy day, evening or night.
Yes, comparing both situations here is with a deep conscience that the Venezuelan problems are not yet those of a developed and active war between nations.
Our problems imply mainly a widespread corruption and an established dictatorship, with an indefinite institution with absolute power over every other. From there come all our problems, all this daily oppression. But fortunately we don't suffer raining bombs.
Yes, sorry if my perspectives seem too pessimistic. It's good if people feel that there will be a good solution from all this catastrophe. However now I prefer to focus my energy to things that really are in my hands; I feel it's healthier.
Amazing comment @jjqf
Thank you @spirajn, for sharing this, i´m glad i checked the youtube chanel, it as very interesting footage from Palestine, to me one aspect of the strength of the human being lies in its ability to overcome the great challenges life presents him...all the people in the world have this ability, so the question is why are so many peoples in this situation, in Palestine, Venezuela, Syria, Yemen and so many others places around the earth?
Thank you and a Hug!
I hope good wishes are fulfilled
You're welcome, my friend. Thanks for your appreciation; that little film house was one of the most important steps in my career, about a decade ago. Later I found the call of my heart, and I hope that, despite the terrible present conditions, I will be producing similar interesting things, in the fields of arts, psychology and philosophy.
Oh yes, that ability develops on the fact that we, humans, get accustomed even to the worst things. We can see other's live as a kind of terror movie, but from the eyes of that person, it's just his daily live... with sad and deplorable conditions, but we do just what we can do.
At first, the bad things can cause a shock, but later you get used to them and try to live better, to overcome or to set some kind of stability... if possible.
But this ability doesn't imply the power to solve the core human problems of evil and oppression, my dear friend. That's why we keep suffering all these tragedies, all this madness... and (sorry for my pessimism, that I call realism), as Kapuscinski, I must say that humanity will keep suffering this forever. This is what we are: light and shadows.
Resilience is the power to navigate in this big sea of madness, pain (and wisdom) until that moment when the waves will take us to the depths again.
Change is a long time coming!
Solid read @spirajn
I've visited parts of Palestine when I was younger and it had been a heartbreaking experience.
It kind of is reminding me of similar determination of Polish people in the past. In the past, during ocupation our country was wiped out from the map for period of 100 years. And yet somehow Poland does exist today. In different shape, different boarders, but it does exist.
At the end of the day it's all about huge politics. So hopefully things will get better one day for people from countries like Paliestine or Venezuela. Hopefully.
Upvoted already
Yours, Piotr
I hope good wishes are fulfilled and my country can recover its path, I do not ask that we "be what we were" but that we can be better than we are now.
Yes, there is a saying in my country: there is no disease that lasts 100 years, nor body that could resist it.
I think that for powerless humble people, which are the majority always, the capacity to endure our difficulties is the most important skill to aim for peace and satisfaction.
Thanks for all your support, dear Piotr.
This phrase has become my daily motto, I was surprised to find it.
Many colleagues are like in the steps of recovering from an addiction, taking one day at a time and solving things step by step, trying to get to the next day without fainting.
For several it has been hard, because we no longer plan for the long term, even a person who is close to me simply said that I was surviving by stubbornness but did not think I could see the end of this disaster, I simply accepted that I would do my best to stay alive , but that this reality was killing him drop by drop and he didn't see it resolved before he reached the dead line...
Oh, that what you tell is a meaningful and inspiring experience. It's about the importance of the little things, all those little efforts and gestures that prevent our life from entering to worst conditions.
I always say to my family, if things are bad, why would we act in a way that would make them even worse?
I'm happy to notice that many of my reflections portray your own views and experiences.
There is a phrase that he told me once and a student who left me thinking "Keep alive is a show of strength" I found it interesting and asked him who it was, his answer was Ezra Scarlet, I was surprised later when I knew who that name corresponded to, but I still thought it was a good quote.
I agree. And sometimes to remain alive is the only thing we can do, our only choice.
Hello dear @spirajn, great article
I think you explain very well what resilience means, however, I do not think that recilience has to do with staying to live a reality that we cannot change and be conformist with our situation, I think that resilience goes much further, is to accept the misfortune we live but be willing to fight to recover and improve our situation of misfortune.
In the case of Venezuela, resilience will be fulfilled when we get up, overcome this situation and Venezuela can become the country we were or even better, if we get up from this and improve then we will prove to be a resilient people.
It happened in Europe after the war, although there were sequels, they got up, rebuilt Europe and some countries became powers again.
This is just my personal opinion ...
@fucho80
I hope that you are right and our country will recover from all this insanity someday, and hopefully soon. Meanwhile, we must do all that we can to endure all these hellish conditions and arrive to better ones.
@spirajn, One thing is for sure and that is, now time is not running fast, we are running fast and with us pushing the time too. Many situations will going to arrive to punch us and sometimes so hard that it's seems impossible to rise back. But then comes the resilience into picture and if we can rise after adversity then no situation can bend us. Stay blessed.
Posted using Partiko Android
Thank you, my friend. I hope that I will always have that ability to rise again after every adversity.
Welcome and my good wishes are with you. Stay blessed.
Posted using Partiko Android
Hi @spirajn
The life we have to live in these countries, I can speak for the country where I live which is Venezuela.
And you well know that it is not at all easy our internal war is not of another country against our country.
Here it is well armed and organized criminals against people who are not armed.
Here the war is against ideas, here the war is against those who do things well and for the good of others, nothing easy but we are still here resilient and strong to move forward despite the fact that in many cases it costs a lot.
I would like to quote a phrase that I have just read in a comment by @pedrobrito2004
Yes, our great problem is to see everyday how our own society is rotten by the worst kind of people, and being unable to do anything to change that. But we can resist, and hold our better decisions in all these infernal conditions.
This post earned a total payout of 1.874$ and 1.409$ worth of author reward which was liquified using @likwid. To learn more.