The Power of Presence and Resilience in Times of Crisis

By David Schneer, Author of Backbone: Surviving the Road Less Quantified - Toward a Deeper Understanding of Qualitative Research

Resilience is cultivated in the moments we don’t anticipate, often when we are thrown into the thick of life’s unpredictability. Some of the most profound lessons I’ve learned came not from what was planned, but from what happened unexpectedly. One such moment occurred in 1978—a moment that remains etched in my mind.

"It was shortly after 8:00 am when I glanced out of my La Mesa, California apartment window. A massive column of black smoke was spiraling up from the West. More fires? I thought. Four days earlier I had been assigned to cover bushfires that flared up across the border in Tijuana. My slick gold and black Honda 500-4 motorcycle served me well then. I sped up as close to the fires as I could get, snapped a few pictures, and raced back to the dark room. That was September 21, 1978. I had become accustomed to searching for smoke, but the column that rose in the clear San Diego morning seemed closer. Suddenly, the phone rang. It was my desk editor. “Get to North Park now!” he barked. “A commercial jet has gone down.” And I was one of the first photographers on the scene where a PSA jet had collided with a private Cessna, killing all 135 people aboard both planes plus seven on the ground." - Excerpt from Backbone: Surviving the Road Less Quantified

Lessons from Crisis

Being present during that tragedy wasn't just about capturing photographs—it was about bearing witness to humanity in one of its most vulnerable moments. Moments like these, much like the recent earthquake in Morocco, underscore the importance of understanding not just what happened, but how people navigate the emotional terrain that follows.

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The Grit to Move Forward

Whether through personal setbacks or professional challenges, resilience is not just surviving adversity—it’s learning from it and moving forward. In qualitative research, as in life, those who persevere through uncertainty find the most meaningful insights. At Merrill Research, that commitment to uncovering deeper truths is what drives us every day.

Resilience is a practice, not a destination. And the lessons from that day in 1978 remain a reminder: presence, empathy, and the willingness to move forward in the face of adversity shape not only who we are but what we accomplish.

If the stories in Backbone resonate with you, I invite you to explore the book and share your thoughts. Your journey of resilience, like mine, may inspire others to keep moving forward, no matter the obstacles.