Reactionary Wood

Trees that grow in nature often will grow in groups. One interesting thing is that these trees only develop natural wood . That means their rings are evenly spaced and uniform. They don’t have the opportunity to react to wind or storms. They have been insulated by the surrounding trees and while they grow straight and tall they are also weak.

If anything happens to the surrounding trees, they no longer have the strength to stand erect. They bend and fall without any support. They have never developed reactionary wood.

We are all shaped and molded by our experiences. Our journey is to develop and learn how to react to the situations around us.

My grandmother Hazel was the strongest woman I have ever met. She is and always will be the example that I want to be more like.

I have always thought her strength brought her through so many challenges. Maybe, that is incorrect. Maybe she developed strength because of those challenges and her decision to navigate them.

As a baby boomer myself, I have often heard reference to the greatest generation as those who went through the ordeal of World War II.

Men and Women endured such a difficult season and became strong because the evil of the day could not prevail. Their circumstances shaped and molded them and made them stronger.

I remember a preacher friend who used to say, “you never know what is in the tea cup until you spill it”.

Today we are facing other challenges. I think that maybe this is the price to be paid to be a strong and resilient human being, to develop that reactionary wood.