How the Human Spirit Is Resilient

Writer Steve Maraboli once wrote, “Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient.” This quote shows the understanding this writer has for the human spirit and all the amazing things it is capable of. Throughout the book A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah, Ishmael’s life that was once filled with making music and playing soccer with friends quickly became a life of a child solider. Ishmael shows that he can come back from anything life throws at him and inspires the reader to believe that they too can overcome any challenge with a little bit of hope, courage and persistence. With a lot of hope Ishmael starts to believe that he can become a normal kid again. In his sessions with the nurse Esther he gets the hope he needs. “ ‘None of these things are your fault’, she would always say sternly at the end of every conversation… I began that day to believe it” (Beah 165). Ishmael has a hard time adjusting to a normal life once he is taken out of the war. He begins to realize that it isn’t his fault he was robbed of his childhood and had to see so many gruesome things. He was forced to so it in order to survive. Ishmael starts to trust those who are trying to help him and begins to have less violent outbreaks. He slowly begins to come to terms with the fact that even though he has done terrible things, seen terrible things and had more near death experiences then most, he is alive and that everything he has been through has made him an incredibly strong person. Throughout the book many friends and family inspire Ishmael and keeps him strong in his journey. He was very close with his grandmother and her words would come back to him and give him the inspiration to keep going. “My grandmother told me that the sky speaks to those who listen to it. She said, ‘in the sky there are always answers and explanations for everything: every pain, every suffering, joy and confusion” (Beah 166) Ishmaels grandmother has been through a lot and is very wise;