Post Traumatic Growth

I'd never heard of the term, "post traumatic growth," until this month while I was reading AARP's magazine, and I came across the article, "Surviving the Jolt," written by Mark Miller.  According to the author, the term has been around since 1995, when University of North Carolina at Charlotte professor, Lawrence Calhoun, coined the phenomenon of PTG.  "Resilience is when you get punched, stagger and then jump right back up.  Post-traumatic growth is different - when you stand back up, you are transformed."

I love the idea of growth and transformation stemming from the jolts life gives us.  Instead of PTSD (post-traumatic stress syndrome), there can be PTG.  It's a whole new way of looking at trauma.  I'm reminded of the the following verses:

Psalm 30:11-12

New Living Translation (NLT)

11 You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.
    You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,
12 that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.
    O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!