Where I grew up in Miami, our corner home was surrounded with 14 gigantic Egyptian Papyrus trees. The back yard was deliciously crowded with orange trees, tangerines, loquats, comquats, and lemons.
In the center of the yard was the most amazing Gardenia Tree (my favorite flower). The Gardenia Tree was almost as tall as our house and certainly had a girth of over 20' around. The perfume would fill the air year-around.
I was living in Long Island when Hurrican Andrew hit resulting in the overwhelming removal of Mom's roof and devasted everything in sight. My Mom, knowing how I felt about that Gardenia tree, made sure to let me know that although every tree we had was gone, the Gardenia Tree survived.
I was both delighted and amazed. Mom, I said, how did the Gardenia Tree survive? And, Mom's words of wisdom, "it survived because it bent with the wind".
Be flexible. Do not dig your heels in. Make sure everyone wins.
Comments(6)