Resiliency

(KRABI, Thailand) – If there’s one key attribute still in question for a successful run by this Kentucky basketball team, it has to be their resiliency. After demoralizing back-to-back losses to Missouri and Tennessee, BBN is wondering whether John Calipari’s crew can somehow regain that bit of an edge—that toughness and bounce back ability—desperately required to steal some remaining conference games and salvage the rest of the season. Coach Cal claims the ceiling remains as high as ever for this team. We’ve had glimpses of their raw talent along the way, but these kiddie Cats have been beaten, battered, and bruised in the arduous learning process. Can they recover and pull it all together in time to make that deep run into the NCAA tournament? I don’t know. It depends on one thing—their resiliency.

Resiliency definitely applies to the people of Phi Phi Island. This tropical paradise located in the Andaman Sea off the southern coast of Thailand was wiped off the map by the Tsunami of 2004. On December 26, at 9:45 am local time, a massive 15-foot tidal wave swept over the island, killing nearly 2000 inhabitants, and decimating the entire island infrastructure. I was on Phi Phi exactly one year before the Tsunami hit. Now, nearly fifteen years later, I’ve returned to check out what has changed since then.

Amazingly, everything has been rebuilt and looks exactly the same as I remembered it. There are the same cluster of food stalls, the same open-air shops, the same tourist agencies hocking long boat rides to Monkey Island, the same restaurants selling Thai seafood delicacies at unbelievably reasonable prices, and the same resort hotels offering five-star comforts for fifty bucks a night (breakfast included). It’s a testament to the resiliency of the Thai people and their unending quest for the tourist dollar. I guess if you rebuild Shangri-La, the people will come.

And come they do. On this random weekend in February, I’m surrounded by hordes of vacationing tourists from all different continents looking for some fun and sun in this mecca known for its natural beauty by day and manufactured debauchery by night. I’m simultaneously awed and perplexed by the contrast. The rich turquoise water surrounding the towering limestone karsts makes for idyllic cinematic backdrops perfect for Hollywood. In fact, Leonardo DiCaprio’s movie, The Beach, was filmed here back in 2000. Unfortunately, on this day, Maya Beach bears no resemblance to the one on the silver screen as I’m packed shoulder-to-shoulder with more Chinese visitors than in Tiananmen Square.

At nighttime, the bars are hopping—sunburned Scandinavians looking to cap off the perfect day of scuba diving with a nightcap of Singha and karaoke. The world-famous Reggae Bar even has a regulation Muay Thai Boxing ring where drunken revelers can volunteer to punch each other’s lights out for a free round of Mae Khong whiskey. Being neither a drunk or a reveler, I politely and wisely pass on this one as an inebriated, overweight English bloke gets his face pounded like a puff of Beef Wellington pastry.

Meanwhile Slinky’s on the beach offers free buckets of booze for “naked boys and topless girls.” I’m still not sure I understand the premise as the crowd cheers on the Aussie frat boy doing the limbo to ear-splitting electronic dance music with his glorious manhood on full display for the world to see.

What I do understand is resilience. It’s not just the toughness required for a basketball team in turmoil or the indomitable spirit of native peoples rebuilding their island livelihood. No, it’s more about everyday persistence—being able to take a punch and just trying to hang on when fate sends you reeling. It’s about keeping the faith and clinging onto that morsel of hope when it’d be so much easier to just simply walk away. It’s about pressing on with life after you’ve gotten a bad diagnosis or lost a loved one to tragedy. Resilience is about the persistence required to fight through a bad relationship, financial ruin, drug addiction, or mental illness. It’s about Jimmy V saying, “don’t give up—don’t ever give up.”

As I walk hand in hand on the beach with my lovely bride watching another jaw-dropping Indian Ocean sunset, I’m reminded once again that resiliency is hard, but it definitely has its rewards. I’m cherishing this time together because who knows if and when we’ll be able to experience it again. But at least for one glorious month in a land half way around the globe, I got a fleeting glimpse of the other side of heartache. I pray that you’ll experience it too. Whether cheering for the Wildcats or for something else nearer and dearer to your heart, here’s to resiliency and the bounty it can bring. Thanks for letting me share. I hope you enjoyed the ride.

John Huang is a columnist for Nolan Group Media. If you enjoy his writing, you can read more at www.huangswhinings.com or follow him on Twitter @KYHuangs.

Check out his most recent UK Sports coverage at http://www.themanchesterenterprise.com/category/uk-live-breathe-blue/