I'm a movie lover, always have been. I'm not particularly discriminating either. I'll watch a rom com and cry when it all works out in the end, and I'll also watch any action film that's light on plot but loaded with improbable car chases. It's the escape from reality that I'm looking for, and there's one movie genre that I can't get enough of.
There's nothing like the underdog story. The "comeback kid." The "rags to riches" journey that the protagonist embarks on to emerge from trial and tribulation to achieve glory, wealth or redemption. I believe there's a universal appeal to the idea that with grit and determination, anything is possible. It's inspiring.
In a society captivated by tales of resilience, we find ourselves celebrating the extraordinary strength of individuals who have endured unimaginable childhood trauma. We applaud their ability to stand tall and bravely overcome barriers to a better life. Indeed, resilience is a remarkable quality that isn't accessible to everyone and is, therefore, even more impressive when encountered. Yet, the reverence for stoic perseverance often clouds our ability to distinguish resilience from another transformative process that is perhaps more vital to manifesting a healthy life: healing.
Resilience, in its essence, is the art of survival. It's the cultivated capacity to withstand adversity and bounce back, displaying an outward appearance of strength and stability. For those who've found themselves treading water in a sea of childhood trauma, resilience is often the lifejacket that keeps them afloat. It's the mask they wear, the armor they don to shield their fragile core from further assault.
Healing is something else entirely. It is the courageous dive into those depths. It's a profound journey that involves confronting the roots of childhood trauma, addressing them, and gradually mitigating their impact.
Healing transcends survival; it requires authentic introspection. It's about unraveling the layers of trauma that have woven themselves into a person's identity and painstakingly reconstructing it. Healing is the process of reclaiming one's true self from the clutches of past pain and torment.
When we talk about resilience, we applaud the ability to soldier on, mask the scars, and paint over the cracks with a veneer of normalcy. But what about the toll this takes? What about the burden of carrying those unresolved wounds throughout one's life? Resilience, while commendable, can lead to a lifetime of pretense, a continuous act of playing a role instead of living an authentic life.
The paramount importance of healing childhood trauma lies in its power to liberate individuals from this lifelong charade. It allows them to shed the camouflage they've worn for far too long and embrace their genuine selves. Healing paves the way for an adulthood unburdened by the need to hide or pretend, where one's external presentation genuinely mirrors their inner self.
Healing is the ultimate triumph over adversity. It's important for those of us who are empowered to be helpful to kids who are struggling to acknowledge the difference between surviving and thriving, between coping and truly living. It's time to advocate for the resources, school-based therapeutic supports, and understanding needed to facilitate healing in those who have suffered childhood trauma. Only then can we ensure that survivors not only endure but emerge as their most authentic selves, living lives marked by genuine recovery and not just the appearance of it.
That's the happy ending all kids deserve.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
