Happy National Arbor Day! Can we truly be happy, with all that is swirling around us these days? Yes. The imperative is resilience. Personal resilience. While we may not have a sense of peace, it is possible to exist without feelings of despair, and perhaps even live with a spirit of joy.
For this example, aspen trees once again offer the perfect model. While each tree stands individually to our eyes, their ‘community’ (the intricate root system beneath the ground, connecting to all the other trees in the grove) is what provides them with sustenance and strength, and ultimately, the power to be resilient.
During my consultancy’s executive searches for design firms and small non-profits, we sometimes ask semi-finalists what their strongest personal attributes are, those that could contribute to their success in the desired role. Only one candidate, one time, mentioned resilience, yet it is a quality to which we should all aspire. The most resilient individual I know has been through unimaginable trauma. The key to their success in navigating these travails was to continue bending but keep from breaking.
At this moment or in other times of great trial, look to your own ‘communities’ to help you retain (or bounce back to) that sense of peace and/or spirit of joy. Family. Friends. Neighbors. Faith-based groups. Clubs. Teams. Online networks. Co-workers. Colleagues. Professional societies. These people with whom you share your life are the nourishers of your roots … to help you bend but not break.
“For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver.” ~ Martin Luther
Image Credit: Sketch by the author.
The Three Aspens 