Methuselah

While we’re enjoying trees as a rich metaphor for our lives, I thought I would toss in this bit of trivia.

Methuselah, is a Great Basin Bristlecone Pine, and the oldest known non-clonal living organisms still alive, at around age 4,839 years.  Bristlecone pines grow in isolated groves at and just below the tree line, on dry, cold, windswept mountaintop. 

(Info. paraphrased and ripped-off from a number of online resources) 

Counting Our Blessings?

Here are two more posts from disaboom.  One person takes the question of do “we need adversity to grow” in a new direction.  She explains how she finds gratitude in comparing her situation to someone elses.  The second post answers the question through the filter of her faith.

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B wrote: Very interesting question, Rachel. I think we do. I know going through my cancer and amputation made me a stronger, hopefully better, person. Adversity that other people experience also makes us realize how good we have it ourselves. I had a hard time for a long time, but I felt lucky too, because I met several people who had it much worse than I did. The young lady (26 then) who had uterine AND breast cancer, comes to mind. She will never be able to give birth to her own children, but I had had my boys already. Hopefully being grateful that we are not the one going through the adversity will make us stronger and will make us better people.

 

Rachel: You brought up something that I hadn’t considered B. That of the adversity of another person. Unless adversity touches us personally or intimately, like in the case of a spouse, child, dear friend or parent, it doesn’t have the same power to make us stronger, or understand our true self any more clearly.

 

Considering the challenges of another does, it seem, have the power to create gratitude in ones own life. Kind of a strange way to get to gratitude, but it does seem to be one way we get there. 

 

A friend of mine who became a chair user after a SCI once said to me,

“I don’t think I could deal with being blind like you.”

I said, “so it’s easier for you to deal with all that goes with having a spinal cord injury than it would be to have sight issues?”

“For sure, he said, I can’t imagine loosing my sight.”

And maybe that’s it, we can’t imagine or we imagine it as worst than what we are familiar with so we feel gratful that it’s not us experiencing something.

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H wrote: Love your topic and have to agree with everyone else.  The answer is a resounding YES!!!!  Even the Good Lord told us in His blessed Word:  In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer.  I have overcome the world!  That is great news to me.  He also says that we will not be tempted above that we can bear.  He knows our strength better than we know our own selves.  He says that he knows the number of our hairs on our heads.  Wow, now that takes some counting for some of us!  I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason!–no coincidences with God!  I think that if we submit to God humbly He eventually makes everything make sense!  I loved the tree analogy!  I love to think about trees and how that God told us I am the tree, you are the branches.  If you abide in me great things will happen (paraphrasing).  I love to think about how the Holy Spirit is our roots and if we are rooted and grounded in Christ, our roots will hold us up no matter how the wind blows!!!! 

Rachel: I like the visual of “a power greater than ourselves” being the trunk of our tree.

Do We Need Adversity to Grow / Part II

Below are more posts and comments from disaboom.

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N wrote: If we think about it…..things like 9/11……..as a nation….we came together….showed our unity….strength…..at our worst times…..isn’t it then that we reach for God…….eachother ? So I think the answer is probably yes…..and I can’t even imagine how many stories are out there describing accidents…losses….diseases etc, that brought out hidden strengths…..i.e. love….compassion…..mostly courage……courage that would otherwise never been exposed. So yes, I think…….Peace and love…..N

 

R: I think you’re right N, we truly see the best (and yes, sometimes the worst) in people during times of natural and human disasters.

 

We didn’t sign-up to have to be courageous or whatever but some of the crummiest situations sure can bring out the brilliance in us.

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L wrote: Oooooooooooh! interesting question! I think we probably do need adversity, but I also think it is something that naturally occurring and something that is more a part of the entire progressive process rather than something we can divorce from it. I think it’s just a part of the evolutionary processs. I also think that artificial adversity (caused by man) is something that is against nature, but is not a part of the process and only harms progression. In other words, murder isn’t a part of the process of progression since it is enacted against nature and artificially, but the grieving process that comes from it is natural. Does that make sense?

 

R: Love the philosophical look at the topic L. I so enjoy a good think! I know what you’re saying about “artificial adversity” but I’m not sure I agree. Seems like sometimes these “artificial” situations are also a part of the evolutionary process. Perhaps the evolution of a persons spirit, even, perhaps the spirit of the murderer. At first blush it might sound crazy.

 

I am not saying that killing someone is a good choice to have made. I’m saying, what if the person who did the act then becomes the same individual who helps stop future crimes from happening? The person has evolved in such a way that they have been changed in a favorable way. Makes me think of the song Amazing Grace.

 

Perhaps then, it is a part of nature, at least the nature of humans.  The nature to change. 

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I’ll add a couple more from the comments on disaboom tomorrow.  I would love to hear what you have to say on this topic, “do we need adversity to grow?”

 

Do We Need Adversity to Grow?

I’ve been thinking a lot about this topic.  My last AND next teleconfrance is on this issue because there’s a lot of meat on the bone for us here I think.

I recently posed the above question “do we need adversity to grow” on disaboom.com, a web based community that is “connecting the millions touched by disability.” 

Here’s my post to disaboom.

Here’s a question I’ve been thinking a lot about recently:

“Do we need adversity to grow?”

Could it be that we NEED experiences, even, maybe, a bit of adversity, to grow to our fullest?  It proved to be true for the trees in Biosphere II after all.  If you don’t recall, Biosphere II was the multi-million-dollar project of a  totally enclosed ecosystem.  What happened was the trees in the simulated rain forest grew to a pretty good height and then became top heavy and fell over.  What Scientists later figured out is that the trees needed wind.  They need the resistance of the wind to help strengthen their trunks.  Without wind, they were weak, and they fell. 

What do we need?  

Would love to hear what you think,

Rachel

 

 

 

 

Below are some some of the comments I’ve recieved and my responses to them.  I would love for you to share your thoughts as well. 

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d wrote: I suppose I’ve always believed the adage “That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.” Not necessarily in the physical sense, but in the sense of developing inner strength, to be able to mentally and emotionally deal with all that life has to offer, both good and bad.

 

 

 

Rachel: At first I had the thought that every experience, thoughtfully evaluated, has within it the power to help use grow. Then I thought, it’s been the more challenging experances, and the times in which I’ve stuck my neck out in the pursuit of something meaningful to me that has shaped me as a person the most.

 

So as much as I would like to think that adage is silly, I think there really is something to it d.

 

d: I’ve had my share of adversity, and if you compared me to a tree, I suppose my trunk would look scarred and burned in places, my branches twisted and misshapen, some pruned off completely. But, a tree that is still managing to stand, nonetheless. I also believe that some trees that may not be as physically strong as others can still thrive and grow stronger with the help of the surrounding trees that help to protect them when things are too harsh, or provide “leaning posts” to keep them from falling. Of course, in this analogy, the surrounding trees would be loved ones/caregivers, assistance devices, and faith.

 

R: So wonderfully expressed!

 

d: The tree analogy makes an excellent one. Have you ever seen a tree or plant grown in zero gravity,away from natural light and normal surroundings? They grow in peculiar shapes, often stunted and never blooming or reaching anything like their full potential. They are grown in a vacuum, with no outside influences or forces to help them develop. I’d compare this to a person that becomes withdrawn and reclusive, keeping only to him or herself, without contact by “outside forces” (people, life and everyday experiences in general) that might nurture them into something more.

 

R: Interestingly a tree that stands alone is much more vulnerable than a tree in a forest. Maybe we need some kind of balance of adversity and security.

 

d: As a person, and not a tree, I personally feel that I need to be challenged on occasion, just to keep my muscles toned in order to face the big winds. Then again, she whined to all who would listen, I don’t want it always to be difficult. It would be nice to just be able to coast once in a while, too, and not have even the simplest thing turn into an all-week project.

 

R: Boy do I hear you there! “I want to grow to my fullest potential, but I sure wish it didn’t have to hurt any.”

 

d: Interesting topic, by the way. I’m looking forward to reading the other responses!

R: Thanks me too!

I also wonder, if we don’t have “adversity” tossed in our laps, do people go and seek it? You know like with extreme sports or drug use. I know substance abuse can be used for a pain-killer. And we all seeming to agree it’s in part the pain that makes us strong.

 

But I wonder, do you suppose that some people use drugs more as a pain creator? I don’t know.

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T wrote: I was watching the Matrix again for the first time in years the other night (to lazy to go rent something newer, I suppose) and was struck by some of the dialogue: Agent Smith said that the first version of their world had been a disaster because everything was perfect and that the second version was much better because it had pain and suffering and that people somehow needed the pain and suffering. I thought that was very interesting.

 

 

R: I love when a topic like this and popular culture come together in the the same mixing bowl. Thanks for the great example T.

 

 

 

T: Looking at it from that angle raises a companion question to the one you asked: Is it possible to grow to one’s fullest potential without ever experiencing pain/suffering/adversity? I’m not sure that it is.

 

R: I’m not sure it is either. Heck, think about it, doctors whack us on our behinds to get us to breath. It starts early.

 

T: Perhaps adversity is part of the human condition and without it we’d be incomplete.

 

R: Right like d said, like the trees that grew in zero gravity without some kind of adversity.

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Seems like my blog post only be so long, so I’ll create a second one with more of the disaboom comments.

 

 

 

New Post

New post coming this afternoon!

 I just need to do some editing and then I’ll have a number of new posts to put up.

Rachel

Next Teleconference May 10th

Next Teleconference

THIS SATURDAY!!

Just a reminder, my next teleconference is:

May 10th

3:00 – 4:00 PM EDT

There are a few “seats” left for Saturday’s call. If you’re interested in participating, fill out the form on the contact page by 9:00 PM EDT this Friday May 9th.

Once I get your email I’ll send you the phone number and access code you’ll need to join in the conversation.  After you have done this once, you’ll automatically be informed of all future calls.

There is no charge for the teleconference, except what your long distance carrier charges for a call.

The Call

The conference call is set up in an informal question and answer format. 

During Saturday’s conversation we’ll be asking the question “what do we need to grow to your fullest potential”?

Could it be that we NEED experiences, even, maybe, a bit of adversity, to grow to our fullest?  It proved to be true for the trees in Biosphere II after all.  If you don’t recall, Biosphere II was the multi-million-dollar project of a  totally enclosed ecosystem.  What happened was the trees in the simulated rain forest grew to a pretty good height and then became top heavy and fell over.  What Scientists later figured out is the trees needed wind.  They need the resistance of the wind to help strengthen their trunks.  Without wind, they were weak, and they fell. 

What do we need?  

Simple Question/ Part Three

Great responses both here and on my email.  Just in case someones still interested in doing the first two parts, I’ll not spoil part three.  If you’re ready to see part three, click on comments.

Thanks for playing along.

Rachel