Flexibility In the Community
vs. resistance
Adjusting to change with a good attitude
To practice Flexibility, I will: 
- be helpful when plans change
- accept the things I cannot change
- be open to new and different experiences
- learn from my mistakes
- anticipate and prepare for change
Flexibility: Growing Through the Unexpected
By Mary Andres Russell
A friend once told me that having a child with Down syndrome is like planning a trip to Paris and ending up in Brussels — not what you expected, but still a beautiful journey. The comparison may simplify the experience, yet it captures the heart of flexibility: life rarely goes according to plan.
We all face moments like this. My husband’s unexpected complications from shoulder surgery and our early step into grandparenthood were surprises we never saw coming — one painful, one joyful. Both required us to adapt, and both ultimately strengthened our marriage.
Think back over the last 10–20 years. What surprises shaped your path? What challenges or blessings forced you to adjust?
Flexibility is what helps us meet these moments with resilience instead of resistance. It keeps us open, steady, and willing to shift when life changes direction. And that openness is what allows us to thrive.
This month, notice the moments that ask you to bend. Take a breath, soften your stance, and see what unfolds. Flexibility won’t stop life’s surprises, but it will help you move through them with strength and grace.
The Links below will take you to Resources you can use with the family or within community organizations
to teach the Character Quality of Flexibility.
The following activities are related to dates this month and can relate to any character quality or good character in general.
May Character All Month
Divide the class into groups. You can use seating arrangements such as a row or table to define the groups or create groups on your own. Instruct each group to…
Mother’s Day
Always 2nd Sunday in MayMother’s Day celebrates all the selfless things that mothers traditionally do for their children. Mothers tend to be Available to those who depend on them. This Mother’s Day, find a way to be Available to Mom. Could you pick something that you...
World Bee Day – May 20th
Always May 20World Bee Day To Bee or Not To Bee(True or False) You can keep a beehive in your backyard. True - Visit this website for information on starting your own hive. Bees are important because they pollinate food crops. True - Nearly 90% of the world’s wild...
Our other Pillars have resources that can be used in a community or family setting.
Visit Flexibility in School:
Activities
No Matter How You Say It
Curriculum Connections
Croskey’s Corner
Visit Flexibility in Business:
Teambuilding
Power Up with Character
Interview Questions
Adult Business Books
Visit Flexibility in Faith:
Christian Family Activity
Bible Verses
Christian Poster
Prayer and Reflections
Archived Resources