Bend, but Don't Break

Weekly ThoughtOne of my fondest memories as a childis going by the river and sitting idlyon the bank. There I would enjoy thepeace and quiet, watch the water rushdownstream, and listen to the chirpsof birds and the rustling of leaves inthe trees. I would also watch thebamboo trees bend under pressure fromthe wind and watch them returngracefully to their upright ororiginal position after the wind haddied down.

When I think about the bamboo tree'sability to bounce back or return toit's original position, the wordresilience comes to mind. When used inreference to a person this word meansthe ability to readily recover fromshock, depression or any othersituation that stretches the limits ofa person's emotions.

Have you ever felt like you are aboutto snap? Have you ever felt like youare at your breaking point?Thankfully, you have survived theexperience to live to talk about it.

During the experience you probablyfelt a mix of emotions that threatenedyour health. You felt emotionallydrained, mentally exhausted and youmost likely endured unpleasantphysical symptoms.

Life is a mixture of good times andbad times, happy moments and unhappymoments. The next time you areexperiencing one of those bad times orunhappy moments that take you close toyour breaking point, bend but don'tbreak. Try your best not to let thesituation get the best of you.

A measure of hope will take youthrough the unpleasant ordeal. Withhope for a better tomorrow or a bettersituation, things may not be as bad asthey seem to be. The unpleasant ordealmay be easier to deal with if the endresult is worth having.

If the going gets tough and you are atyour breaking point, show resilience.Like the bamboo tree, bend, but don'tbreak!