613. Life is a Balancing Act between Adaptation & Resilience.....

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/life-is-a-balancing-act-between-adaptation-resilience

There is a need for adaptation and also resilience in the journey of Life. Adaptation comes from being a little submissive at the times while resilience is the outcome of inner strength. There has to be a fine tuning done in regard to experience a beautiful and harmonious life. If we are too much flexible it is hard to carry on in a long run. If there is too much strength then we tend to be adamant and at times it would hamper our intentions to change when necessary. Therefore the experience of life happens to be lovely if we are able to balance these two disparity qualities called adaptation and resilience.

There is an old Zen story of a proud silver oak tree and a humble bamboo plant. The oak tree was very, very tall and strong and being proud of its strength and majesty would mock the bamboo plant calling it a weak and lean thing.

One day there was a dreadful storm with extremely strong winds that whipped and thrashed the whole land. The tall oak tree put up a brave fight but eventually the mighty storm ripped it out and smashed it to the ground. The bamboo however was left standing even as the storm had battered it; it had swayed and bent. It had not tried to resist, not feeling strong and rigid, it had simply moved with the forces of nature and with its light flexible stems had resisted the storm by surrendering to it.

Just by being submissive to the mighty stormy wind the bamboo made it while the strong tall oak tree standing stiff could not. There are times when submissive attitude yield better result. With adaptation we acquire never fail attitude. This attitude does not inspire adamant or stubbornness. It is all about endurance with KIND HEART.

One day a washer man’s donkey fell down into a dry well. The donkey could not come out and it started braying loudly for hours. The washer man tried to get the animal out but it was a difficult task, finally, he decided the donkey was old, and the well had to be covered up anytime so it wasn't worth it to get back the donkey. Thinking so, he called his friends to help him cover the well. All the men began shoving the mud into the well.

At the beginning, the donkey realized what was happening and brayed horribly. Then after sometime it calmed down. A few shovel loads later, the washer man finally looked down the well. He was surprised to see the donkey shake off the mud that fell on its back and stood on the heap one step at a time.

As the men continued to scoop the mud on top of the donkey, it would shake it off and take a step up. And very soon to the surprise of everyone present there the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily walked off.

There are hurdles in life which has to be crossed. Each blockade has to be a stepping stone. With resilience we acquire never give up attitude. This attitude does not inspire adaptation or submissiveness. It is all about endurance with BRAVE HEART.