BEND BUT DON'T BREAK

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!