Opinion: The storm before the calm

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We always talk about the calm before the storm. What if we got it wrong?
What if everything we’ve been experiencing over the last year was really just the storm before the calm?

We are in the middle of some significant storms: racial turmoil, global pandemic, political strife, economic upheaval. We have all of those things.

But there will be a space. And what we do in that space is what matters. It’s not about just hanging on and hanging out until the storm passes.

Bounce-ability

When that calm comes, we have to take advantage of that moment. We have to be resilient. We have to have that bounce-ability.

I love this quote by Gen. George S. Patton:

“The test of success is not what you do when you are on top. Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.”

It’s easy when things are going well.

But that bounce-ability factor matters; keeping things in perspective to be able to begin to climb again or build again. Those are vital characteristics in our country and for everyone who really achieves success in any aspect of life or business.

Bounce-ability and resilience have been part of the American experience from the beginning. We focus on our country’s big victories, the breakthroughs, the innovations, the achievements. America and its people have endured the opposite of that.

All storms must pass

We’ve had losses, dark days, heart-wrenching defeats: Pearl Harbor, stock market crashes, Space Shuttle disasters, 9/11. And those are just a few. Just add up the things that we’ve gone through over the last 12 months.

But the resilience of the country, of the people is part of that history, And that’s part of what propels us forward; it’s part of what gets us to the calm.

I love the old story of the sign hanging from a rusty nail on the front porch of the old farmhouse. It says a lot about that resilience and bounce-ability, that persistence of the farmer who had lived there for over 50 years:

Burned out by drought,

Drowned out by flud waters,

Et out by jackrabbits,

Sold out by sheriff,

Still here!

Everyone has or will face adversity, challenges, storms and obstacles. The determining factor for our success in the coming years will be – what will we do when the storms comes and we hit bottom? Will we persist or panic? Will we murmur or ponder? Will we look for reasons to push forward or will we find excuses to quit or give up? Will we join in the group griping and pity parties in crying about how unfair it is, or will we explore the numerous opportunities that are ahead of us?

For those individuals who find themselves at the bottom of a black hole of depression, anxiety and discouragement or are facing raging storms of despair that may cause you to consider an alternative to life – and for those who know someone who is in such a storm – remember that it is against the laws of nature, and nature’s God, that storms last forever.  Storms come and then go – and will, without fail, be replaced with the peace and stillness of the calm.

Recognizing the storm before the calm creates the right perspective and a realization that the storm can be a good thing – a renewing, cleansing and empowering experience.  Hard? Yes! Painful? Yes! Frightening? Yes! Just remember this is the storm before the calm. The calm will come.

Inside Sources with Boyd Matheson can be heard weekdays from 1 p.m to 3 p.m. on KSL NewsRadio. Users can find the show on the KSL NewsRadio website and app.