The Meaning of Strength

By Anonymous

Sometimes it’s the little things in life that make all the difference, the little things that show you what life is all about and the little things that show you what true strength really is.This past year, I have had the pleasure of meeting one of the most inspirational children I know.Her name is Nicole* and she recently became a member of my friend’s family.Nicole is six years old and has had a difficult past.She was born to a drug addict mother and was quickly put up for adoption.Lucky for her, Nicole was adopted into the family of a single mother and 3 other children.Nicole had many obstacles to overcome including physical and behavioral problems.In daycare when she was only two years old, Nicole had already developed a name for herself.No one wanted her in their classroom.She was the child that wouldn’t listen and couldn’t be taught.Nicole’s life continued in this fashion up until this past June when her entire life was turned upside down.It was this past summer when Nicole’s mother lost her fight to cancer.Being a single mother and not having a will, Nicole and her three siblings quickly became displaced.One by one, they were divided up and placed into loving families who, unfortunately, could not manage to add any more than one new child to their homes.It was through this process that my friend’s family received Nicole.

One can only imagine what it must be like to be six years old and to lose the only family you’ve ever known.Nicole was warmly welcomed into her new family but she remained shy and timid for weeks, always speaking about how she missed her siblings and her mother.This little six year old was forced to put her old family in the past and start over.She had to give up her old home, school, pets and her entire way of life.This is a feat most people are not faced with doing in their entire lifetime yet alone when they have only been on this planet for 6 years.As I watched Nicole become more and more comfortable with my friend’s family, I began to see what tremendous strength this child has and how lucky I am to know her.Through everything that has happened, Nicole has somehow managed to keep a positive attitude.She tells me about her faith in God and how she knows she will see her mother in Heaven.To me, Nicole is like a 40 year old in a 6 year old’s body.She speaks truths that I never even thought about when I was her age.What is even more miraculous, however, is the fact that Nicole, who used to be the student that all teachers dreaded, has had an entire change in behavior.This child who used to throw chairs and who got sent to the principal’s office every day of kindergarten last year, has not gotten in trouble once at school this year.Somehow, through everything that she went to, Nicole managed to mature and become a better person.For this reason, I remain completely amazed by Nicole and I’m sure she will continue to amaze me as she grows older.Whenever I am having a bad day and think I might not be able to make it through, I think of Nicole and my faith is restored.This young girl has truly taught me that nothing is impossible.