One of my favorite ways to relax and reduce my stress is to get lost in a good book. I recently finished reading "The Boys in the Boat" about the 1936 Olympic rowing team from the University of Washington. One of the main figures in the book, Joe, had a traumatic upbringing with his family of origin and growing up during the Great Depression. Joe faced the death of his mother at a very young age; a house fire; numerous moves; a stepmother who despised him and would request that he not be allowed to live with the family on at least two occasions and left to fend for himself; not having a steady supply of food; and many other traumatic experiences. Despite facing adversity and abandonment, Joe kept a positive outlook on life. He used to like to hunt for four leaf clovers and had a knack for always finding one. My favorite quote of the book was when Joe's girlfriend asked him how he always managed to find a four leaf clover and he responded by saying, "the only time you don't find a four leaf clover is when you stop looking for one." I love this quote and this outlook on life. Life can be rough and many people experience more than their fair share of trauma in a lifetime. Resiliency is an amazing thing. Being able to bounce back and look for the good in life and in others will help you move forward when you need it the most.
