One of my very favorite places to be is the Cleveland Metroparks, and one of my very favorite curiosities there is "the little tree that could." For years i have marvelled at this tree which started out as a tiny sapling next to a massive boulder. As it grew, it responded to the sun and rain, but the boulder stood in it's way - all 800 or so pounds of it.
The tree knew where it wanted to go, wasn't told it "couldn't", and ended up like this:
Every time i see this tree relaxing on the rock, I applaud its ability to turn an obstacle into a benefit. This woody stalk pushing it's way upward and growing, then stopping to rest on the unmoveable force in its path has a mighty lesson for me and for all of us.
How many times are we faced with an insurmountable problem? It's fair to say that for most of us, that's fairly often. I have thrown my hands in the air on numerous occasions and groaned, "There's NO WAY this can be fixed!" Since i encountered this tree, though, i try to look at life's big problems as if they were that boulder. And the adage is true - "Where there's a will, there's a way." Taking challenges and difficulties in stride, we might just find that they turn into hidden advantages.
And even if problems stay problematic and turn out to be more of a thorn in the side than a strong place to rest ourselves, there is grace in trying; in moving forward. We are stronger and wiser and bolder for the effort.
By: Theresa Ziebro & Mark Piscitelli, Remax Trinity Summit and Cuyahoga County Realtors
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