The birds anxious retreat was a warning, but the trees remained steadfast, unable to move. The man in his oversized coat, and heavy snow boots approached the first small tree. He adjusted his hat, then with the steady hand of Babe Ruth pulled out a baseball bat and began beating the first tree. The assault would not end with one small fruit tree, but would continue until every tree in the orchard had received blows.
One might question the sanity of beating fruit trees in freezing temperatures and snow. What good could possibly come from this unusual practice? The man with the baseball bat will tell you “ Putting the trees through stress helps them to grow, and produce more fruit.” Whether his technique is legitimate or not is still in question for me. However, each spring in spite of, or because of the stress the trees blossom and produce beautiful fruit.
How frequently in life do we feel like the fruit trees? Life’s experiences crashing down on us like blows from a baseball bat. The question may arise, will this experience actually make me stronger?
Think back to the most difficult time in your life. Did you survive it? You must have if you are around to read this! How amazing is that? The human spirit, like the fruit trees possess the power of resiliency. Difficult times may push us to the brink of despair, but as one man said, “this adversity has made me part of an elite group who now see the world differently, and recognize what really matters most.”
Resiliency is planted deep into the fiber of who we are. When needed, and sometimes when we least expect it, the seed of resiliency blooms and produces powerful results.
When life’s stressors come, and they will, dig deep, and bloom on!
Thank you for sharing, Melanie Holt, ACMHC. To schedule an appointment, call 801.718.9840.
