For all who have faced adversity, know your strength
With Thanksgiving approaching, most of us gather around the table and share what we’re thankful for — the blessings, the good health, the successes and the loved ones by our side. And that’s wonderful. Being grateful for what brings us happiness, security and comfort is natural. But what about those parts of life that aren’t so easy, the bumps in the road that we’d rather leave behind? Well, those are the things we need to thank God for, as well, because often, it’s the setbacks that set us up for the comebacks.
Think about it: Every struggle has the power to teach us something valuable. Tough times test our resilience, our faith and our character. Just like a diamond is formed under pressure, we, too, are shaped by the challenges we face. As the saying goes, “You can’t appreciate the sunshine until you’ve had a little rain.” Well, it’s in those rough patches that we find the grit to get back up, the wisdom to learn from our mistakes, and the strength to go forward better than we were before.
Zig Ziglar once said, “Sometimes adversity is what you need to face in order to become successful.” Each hardship builds us up in ways that success alone never could. When we take a step back to appreciate the struggles, we’re honoring our journey and realizing that every piece of it, even the difficult parts, has a purpose.
As legendary coach Vince Lombardi said, “It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get up.” Every time life knocks us down, it gives us an opportunity to rise because, when you think about it, there can be no gain without loss. Without adversity, there can be no ease. And without defeat, there can be no victory.
Some of the greatest victories throughout history were born from hardship and struggle. Napoleon Hill famously said, “Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.”
The Bible speaks to this truth. Romans 5:3-4 says, “We glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope.”
So, with all that said, let’s talk about what happened on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Vice President-Elect JD Vance said the election victory of Donald Trump represents the “greatest political comeback in the history of the United States of America.” And he’s right.
But let’s be clear — this wasn’t just a win for Donald Trump. This was a win for the American spirit, for every single American who’s ever faced adversity, every patriot who’s ever been knocked down and got back up, and every hardworking person who knows that our country is the land of opportunity, not oppression. This victory shows that, no matter what they throw at you if you believe in yourself and this great nation, you can get back up and keep fighting.
And remember, they threw everything at Donald Trump. Investigations, impeachments, endless attacks in the media, lawsuits left and right. They tried to silence him, discredit him, to make him quit. They said he was finished after 2020. They said there was no way he’d come back from everything they threw at him, but they underestimated him. He survived not one but two assassination attempts.
They underestimated the American people who saw through the noise, who saw the real man standing there — a man who didn’t back down, who kept showing up, kept fighting and never gave up on this country. That is what it means to be an American.
From the Revolutionary War to overcoming the Great Depression, Americans have always risen to the occasion when times get tough. And it has been tough.
The men and women who built this country weren’t handed it on a silver platter. They weren’t sheltered from adversity. They worked through it. They built cities, industries and communities. They farmed, mined and manufactured the goods that turned this country into a powerhouse. And when things got hard, when foreign threats or economic hardships came along, Americans didn’t cower. We fought back. This election reminds us that we’re still those people— that same fire burns in us today.
So, for every American who’s ever been told to sit down, be quiet and accept less. For every worker, every soldier, every teacher and every small business owner who’s ever felt ignored or taken for granted, this victory is for you and a reminder to be thankful for not only what you have, but also for what you might not have, because that is part of your comeback story, as well.
And for that, you will always be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving!
Louis R. Avallone is a Shreveport businessman, attorney and author of “Bright Spots, Big Country, What Makes America Great.” He is also a former aide to U.S. Representative Jim McCrery and editor of The Caddo Republican. His columns have appeared regularly in 318 Forum since 2007. Follow him on Facebook, on Twitter @louisravallone or by e-mail at [email protected], and on American Ground Radio at 101.7FM and 710 AM, weeknights from 6 - 7 p.m., and streaming live on keelnews.com.
