From One to two!

I go back to a photo I have in my collection taken in 2013! 

Following s storm a plant lost its main branch. The branch had to be cut in the hope that it would sprout. It  did after a short while.

To my surprise I noticed that two new shoots sprang from the sides of the branch.  That would be the continuity of the branch that was damaged. 

Following s stressful situation yesterday, I realised that there was a loss of trust and relationship. Looking back at the situation, I feel disturbed about the way it happened. 

As I reflect and write this blog spot, I am aware of the loss and the prospects of new life!

Sometimes the loss can be permanent. If the branch had not spouted it would be a loss of tree. But that is not the common experience. Most trees sprout. 

In the book, The gardener by Grain, there is story of the Old Olive tree. The gardener had found a recently cut stump of an old olive tree during his walk in the mountain. The gardener grieved over the act of its owner in doing so and loosing the history of several years it represented! Sometime later, when he passed by again, the gardener to his delight, found that new shoots had appeared from the sides of the stump. Stroking the tender shoots of the old olive, he whispered, ' There exists a stronger will than that of men. Who, old olive tree, can triumph over your will power and desire to live?'.

There is a new life submerged in every difficult situation. The story of the old olive tree and the new shoots are real today in our given situations. 

Having been involved in some stressful situations, I am used to a sense of loss of relationships and conciliatory process! But on many occasions, what proceeded to happen in the silence of that breakdown of communication was, emergence of new possibilities and openings that transcended the past.  

The loss of a relationship is painful and agonising because continuity of trust and interaction would get lost. That was what a branch suffered from, when it was damaged in the storm. But the new shoots brought continuity and coherence with the past and future. 

How are we to respond to stressful situations! Reduce the stress for oneself and others. Accept that there is a disruption in relationship on account of what has happened. Wait for an occasion when out of the stress can emerge new life and hope! Every child is born out of intense pain and stress to a mother. In fact the baby also arrives after its head has been moulded to arrive through the birth passage. 

This makes us ponder over how we face stress in our lives. 

Every stressful situation is n occasion to enlarge ourselves. From who and what we are, we are awakened to embrace a new situation, which can be a path finder at a time, when one has stood at a cross road for too long. 

I heard this from a family yesterday. Having been used to living individual lives in the comforts of the successful career paths the husband and wife pursued, the difficulties in language development of their child made them  pause to reflect on their blind pursuit of a career path. They are on leave now from their work to pay attention to their child. In less than three months, they are emerging from a sense of loss to finding a new path for their family life! 

Facing the stress and allowing that to be a reason to find the new direction is a better response than withdrawal, accusing self or others, or resigning to the situation. A stressful experience is often a pathfinder of substantial significance! 

The two new shoots from a damaged branch is the message I want to carry with me. Out of a difficult situation, new life would emerge vigorously and triumphantly!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)