One of my fondest memories as a child is going by the river and sitting idly on the bank. There I would enjoy the peace and quiet, watch the water rush downstream, and listen to the chirps of birds and the rustling of leaves in the trees. I would also watch the bamboo trees bend under pressure from the wind and watch them return gracefully to their upright or original position after the wind had died down.
When I think about the bamboo tree’s ability to bounce back or return to it’s original position, the word resilience comes to mind. When used in reference to a person this word means the ability to readily recover from shock, depression or any other situation that stretches the limits of a person’s emotions.
Have you ever felt like you are about to snap? Have you ever felt like you are at your breaking point? Thankfully, you have survived the experience to live to talk about it.
During the experience you probably felt a mix of emotions that threatened your health. You felt emotionally drained, mentally exhausted and you most likely endured unpleasant physical symptoms.
Life is a mixture of good times and bad times, happy moments and unhappy moments. The next time you are experiencing one of those bad times or unhappy moments that take you close to your breaking point, bend but don’t break. Try your best not to let the situation get the best of you.
A measure of hope will take you through the unpleasant ordeal. With hope for a better tomorrow or a better situation, things may not be as bad as they seem to be. The unpleasant ordeal may be easier to deal with if the end result is worth having.
If the going gets tough and you are at your breaking point, show resilience. Like the bamboo tree, bend, but don’t break!
From Author Unknown
November 25th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
Life can be tough, but the more flexible we are (ie bamboo) the taller we become.
I always love a good nature example in a blog post. I picture myself as a bamboo tree, slowly bending, smiling and enjoying the pain of it all.
November 27th, 2008 at 3:15 am
Thanks for commenting, Karl.
Another one I like from bamboo trees, they are not just flexible, they also have strong roots to support their height and their flexibility. The roots are our mental.
December 25th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
I love the bamboo analogy. Even going through some of the hardest trials of my life, I survived them. Some trials left me stronger than before.
December 29th, 2008 at 10:37 am
Hi Carla, thanks for stopping by and dropping your comment here.