Resilience is one of those words that you hear all the time now. It is often used to describe an individual who has admirably stared down adversity or a community that has overcome misfortune. But it is also used almost as shorthand, a quick and easy way to signal that the challenge, whatever it may be, will be met.
A neighbourhood has suffered from the effects of a tornado. A person has suddenly lost their job. A country has been at war for decades. If the reporting of the event describes those involved as ‘resilient,’ is it a sign that the rest of us should just move along?

A more thoughtful response to understanding the word resilience might be to consider when we use it and why. If you were down and then somehow you rebounded, you might very well be described as resilient. It’s a word that works well for finite activities like games – especi