Rising Stronger: Weathering Life's Disappointments

Disappointment has a way of cracking our hearts open. It arrives uninvited — in shattered relationships, broken promises and hope, or even unanswered emails. Yesterday, I found myself unraveling. I had been patiently waiting for a promised call from a publisher. But the call never came. My heart sank, and old fears rushed in: Was I being ghosted? Had I misjudged again? Had I been too gullible? Was this another scam in disguise?

But here’s what I remembered, hours later: Resilience isn’t about never falling. It’s about how we rise. It’s about choosing how we respond. And yes, it is a choice we can make. I am reminded of some powerful words from Viktor Frankl: Between stimulus and response, there is a space...and in that space is our power to choose our response.

I am not defined by a single moment of panic. I am defined by the years I’ve spent walking with others through grief, loss, and healing. I am defined by the stories I’ve told, the lives I’ve touched, and the quiet strength that still sings beneath the noise.

So today, I choose to rise stronger. To trust again. To believe that even in disappointment, there is dignity. And that every misstep is an invitation to grow.

Those who fall and rise again are much stronger than those who never tried at all. — Roy T. Bennett