Are You Made Of Steel Or Bammboo-And Why Should That be Of Importance to You?"

Bend, But Don't Break
By: Author Unknown

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 its 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!