The Day I Learned the True Meaning of Resilience

Life isn't fair
It was a bright and sunny day, but I remember it feeling like the world had just come crashing down on me. I was a young boy back in Nigeria, living in a small town where opportunities seemed scarce, and life felt like an endless struggle.

I remember one particular day vividly: my family was going through a tough time financially. My dad had lost his job, and my mom was doing her best to keep everything together. I watched them fight to keep us all going, but it felt like we were slowly slipping into an abyss we couldn’t escape.

That day, my mom asked me to help her run an errand, but I was feeling hopeless. I didn't want to face the world outside, with its struggles staring at me. But my mom’s words still echo in my mind: “No matter how tough things get, you have to keep moving forward.”

As we walked, she shared with me a piece of advice that would stick with me forever: “Life isn’t about waiting for things to get better. It’s about finding strength, even when it feels like everything is falling apart.”

Later that week, I found out my father had found a small job again. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to get us through that tough time. In that moment, I realized something powerful — resilience isn't about never falling, it’s about picking yourself up, even when you feel like you can't.

Fast forward to today, I’m in Libya, far from home, but I carry that lesson with me every day. It’s a reminder that no matter where life takes me, resilience will always be my anchor.

I wanted to share this with you all because I know life isn’t always easy. But sometimes, the hardest times bring out the greatest lessons. And I believe that if we keep moving forward, no matter how tough it gets, we'll find our way.