Resilience When the World is Watching

The following remarks were delivered to The Middle and Upper School Community during Opening Convocation:

Like Mr. Neudel, I was enthralled this summer with the Olympics. There is something so special about the games for me. I am a particularly big fan of gymnastics, and I was especially excited to watch the women’s team, led by Simone Biles, arguably the greatest gymnast of all time. However, the games did not go the way any of us thought they would for Biles. 

 

In the team final, after a disappointing first vault where she pulled out of her expected number of twists, Biles withdrew from the team competition. While the initial speculation was that she had suffered some sort of physical injury, she said later it was a mental challenge that led to her decision. 

 

An injury to the mind is just as important to address as one to the physical body. Biles’s willingness to listen to her what her mind needed on such a public stage, when many athletes would have forced themselves to push through regardless of how they were feeling, while not as easy decision, was the right one. With the high degree of difficulty at which Biles performs, competing when not in the right headspace could have been dangerous. I was proud of her for taking care of herself when she needed it most, even when it is inconvenient for others, even when it left the world in shock, even when it ultimately altered the expected results on the Olympic podium.

 

Because while Simone Biles may be the GOAT, she’s not a machine. She’s a person. She put her mental health first, and the needs of her team in front of her own. 

 

While her withdrawal divided opinion, with some saying that her withdrawal showed poor mental toughness, I say it demonstrated her courage, her strength, and her resilience. As Mrs. Guild explained, resilience is the ability to withstand adversity and bounce back from difficult life events. Being resilient does not mean that people don't experience stress or emotional reactions. Resilience is important because it gives people the strength needed to process and overcome hardship.

 

After pulling out of the team, all-around, and several individual event finals, Biles decided to compete the finals for the balance beam, for which she won a bronze medal. I remember watching with bated breath as Biles mounted the beam. I couldn’t imagine the pressure she felt in that moment to show the world what she was capable of after the events of the week. Biles showed incredible resilience while the entire world was watching. She got back on that beam, and she won a medal. I would argue, however, that the medal wasn’t as important to her as it was to just compete. 

 

One thing I have learned over the past 18 months, is that this community, and all of you, are incredibly resilient. I have seen it every single day since the start of the pandemic, and it is one of the reasons our School has not just survived during this time, but has thrived. As we head into a new school year, I hope you will remember that you are capable of great things - and that you are capable of tackling change and surmounting obstacles that may seem insurmountable. Nelson Mandela said, “Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.”

 

Simone Biles got back up again. I hope you all will always remember to get back up, no matter what comes your way.