專四晨讀美文：The Bamboo Trees

The Bamboo Trees
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.