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!
