Strength

What does it mean to be "strong?" When someone says, "you are such a strong person," what does that really entail? I'm obviously not speaking about literal strength, to be able to bench press 400 lbs or whatever, but emotional, mental, psychological strength. Are they different? Does it all mean the same thing?

A number of people that I know have been faced with different types of hardship. Some temporary, some permanent. All difficult to deal with. And all for different reasons. But what is it about a person that makes them strong or not? To see in them the "strength" to push through, stand up, and get over whatever hurdle faces them. Or not. Do they disintegrate at the first sign of trouble? Crawl into a shell and not come out until the worst has passed? Continue to believe that these 'bad' things will not stop happening? Are these people then not strong?

I don't know. It may be subjective. It may depend on your perception of the person, your knowledge of that person, and a hundred other things. At my most vulnerable moments is when people told me they admired my strength. What did they mean? DID they mean it? Or was it something better to say than "Oh yeah that sucks. Sucks to be you!" Is it a measure of encouragement during a down time, or does it really mean something more?

I don't know. As I look back, I do find it amazing how I was able to get through those moments mostly unscathed, but still carry their lasting marks on me. Was I strong? Did it make me stronger? Will I be able to be that strong again?