Wellbeing

PERSEVERANCE 

Over this Kings Birthday weekend my family and I set off on a camping trip with about 3,000 other people! State Youth Games (SYG) is a highlight of our year. SYG is an opportunity for teenagers and young adults to come together, camp, play loads of sport and enjoy connecting, encouraging and having loads of fun. It’s always held over this weekend, so the weather is inevitably a challenge. I should be honest from the outset and say that most of the adults including my husband Kirk and I actually cheat and stay in a motel while all the kids camp at Lardner Park Showgrounds. The adults work in teams to cook, clean and drive kids to all the events. 

This year despite the forecast we actually enjoyed quite a bit of sunshine and the rain mostly held off during the days. It was cold at times and muddy in places but overall we were grateful. As with any gathering of so many people living in community for 3 days, dealing with tiredness, weather etc, there are bound to be challenges. 

Reflecting on our time away one of my overriding thoughts is how much all of these kids persevered! There were times when the kids could have got cranky with each other, anxious about being with so many people, having a go even when you’re not winning etc. However, what I saw time and time again they never gave up. They persevered despite their circumstances! What a challenge for us adults who were there to do the same. We were tired etc as well (even though we were in a room with an actual bed). 

How much do we persevere when our circumstances aren’t comfortable, or we are tired, or we feel stressed. Do we remain patient, speak kindly, show tolerance and not give up. This was a good lesson for me as I enjoyed time with these incredible group of kids. 

Perseverance is a character trait we should all try to practice. 

Lisa Osborne

lisa.osborne@education.vic.gov.au

Ph:0409559059