Resilience
I was walking through a park along the water and noticed this tree. Please look closely at the picture attached to this post. This is clearly a tree that has weathered many storms. It has been pushed over, bent down, and beat up. Yet we see it continuing to grow up and out and expand with strength.
I found this tree inspiring. Like a flower in the crack of a sidewalk, we can find examples all around us of nature fighting back from limitations or adversity. I encourage you look at the world around you, and I mean right around you, and you’ll find many examples.
Resilience is defined as “the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.” We all need this quality in our lives, particularly right now. We know the concept, for we teach our students to recover quickly from mistakes, and we can apply this to every aspect of our lives.
The second definition of resilience is “the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity.” We need to be able to bend, to be flexible in difficult situations, and then to “spring back” to center and stay grounded. The marching arts does a great job of teaching this to our students, and it’s a lesson that will serve them throughout life.
My next-door-neighbor had a large tree in the front yard which was struck by lightning and literally divided into two. He removed the back half, and now the tree has filled in and grown tall and strong again. Markers are there is you know to look, but most would not even notice. What is left is a strong tree reaching to the sky.
We all have storms we have weathered, and most of us feel like we’re surrounded by a maelstrom right now. But in the midst of struggle and challenge we find people all around us thriving and pushing through. I encourage you to find inspiring examples in our activity. Every marching ensemble is in its own unique situation, and with the “Season of Grace” for this winter I’m encouraging you to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. As Shirley Dorritie has said in her webinars and podcasts, be curious! I wonder what it took for them to be performing right now? The sheer act of trying to do anything with our students right now is inspiring!
As we are surrounded by bad actors and leaders who let us down, I encourage you to “look for the helpers” and find the many inspiring examples of resilience that ARE there. Like the tree in the picture, inspiration is there for those who are looking. Be on the watch and be resilient! Your toughness and flexibility will be an inspiration to others.
Tim Hinton
January 27, 2021
