There's a lot of talk about resilience lately,
And a lot of judgment about how to be resilient.
The problem is that resilience isn't a one-size-fits-all activity.
It can be both holding on and letting go,
And there can be wisdom and power in both of those choices.
When I think of resilience as the ability to hold on when things get rough,
I think of the beautiful redwood forests,
Where mighty redwood trees can grow over 300 feet tall and stand for over 2,
000 years.
If there is a species that shows resilience by hanging on,
It's this one.
The surprising fact,
Though,
Is that redwood trees have a shockingly shallow root system.
Even though their trunks reach higher than a 30-story building,
Their roots only descend 6 to 12 feet in the earth.
It seems impossible that they should stand as tall as they do,
Until we learn that their roots are intertwined with a whole community of other trees.
They strengthen,
Support,
And nourish each other,
And in so doing,
Allow each individual tree to stand tall.
If you're trying to hang on,
Find your community.
Find your people who will nourish you and who will hang on with you,
Letting you rise to your true height.
Sometimes of course,
Hanging on isn't an option,
Or isn't the best option.
Remember,
Resilience isn't just a measure of our ability to withstand damage,
To stay strong.
It's not just about our shields and our defenses.
It's also a measure of our ability to adapt in the face of change.
To accept the changes that need to be made,
And then have the courage to make them.
Sometimes we can practice resilience by nurturing our ability to rebound,
To regroup,
And to regrow.
Resilience doesn't have to be resistance.
It can also be receptiveness.
Openness to newness in whatever form that might take.
When we let go of our attachment to a particular outcome,
We're free to explore the possibilities in each new situation.
Have the confidence to sit with newness,
To allow your life to look a little different than you thought it would.
This is also resilience.
This is growth.
This is life,
And this is beautiful.
Be well my friends.
You are loved.
