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What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
When my sister and I had to start taking the bus to middle school, things were different. We lived on this big hill, and of course, the bus stop was at the bottom. Mornings weren’t so bad–we’d chat and walk down together, but afternoons were a whole other story. After a long day of school, the last thing we wanted to do was trudge up that hill. It felt like a never-ending climb, and we’d usually complain about how tough it was.
When my sister and I had to start taking the bus to middle school, things were different. We lived on this big hill, and of course, the bus stop was at the bottom. Mornings weren’t so bad–we’d chat and walk down together, but afternoons were a whole other story. After a long day of school, the last thing we wanted to do was trudge up that hill. It felt like a never-ending climb, and we’d usually complain about how tough it was.
Whenever we’d whine about the long walk home, my mom had the same response: “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” She’d say it with that look that meant there was no room for debate. We’d roll our eyes, but deep down we knew she was right. The climb was hard, and we were tired, but we had no choice but to power through it. I think my sister and I secretly started to appreciate those walks, even though we’d never admit it out loud. The challenge taught us a little resilience, and before we knew it, that hill didn’t seem so bad anymore.
I now realize my mom was teaching us more than just how to deal with a steep hill. She was teaching us how to handle the tough stuff in life–how to keep going, even when it feels hard. That hill wasn’t going anywhere, but we were getting stronger every time we walked up it. And now, whenever I face a tough situation, I can’t help but think of my mom’s words: “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Maybe it’s not always easy, but it always makes us a little tougher at the end.