Finding My Reflection: Discovering Shared Resilience Through Stories

How One Participant’s Journey Rekindled My Sense of Purpose

Reflecting on my recent session with this participant, I found a sense of alignment that reached beyond the surface of our conversation. Her story, carrying both pride and resilience, brought me back to my journey of identity and the powerful role of family and culture. Listening to her stories of struggle and triumph, I recognized familiar echoes of the values instilled in me by my own family: what is resilience, who and what is important to each of us that pushes us to reach our goals?

Her story reminded me of my own upbringing in a family where education was central and where every accomplishment, big or small, was celebrated. Like her, I know what it’s like to step into spaces that don’t always feel welcoming and to face unspoken barriers. Her quiet strength in those moments felt like my own—a resolve to keep going, even when the path is not straightforward.

The alignment went deeper when she shared her family’s commitment to preserving traditions and staying connected, especially in times of joy and sorrow. I thought of my family’s gatherings, the moments that unite us through familiar foods, stories, and rituals that ground us. These shared practices create a space for pride and reflection, showing me that resilience doesn’t stand alone but is built by those who came before us and those who stand beside us.