There’s an old Chinese parable about the rivalry between a single stalk of bamboo and a might oak tree that goes like this:

There was once an oak tree that towered above everything that stood around it. Its trunk was wide, its branches stretched far. All the while, it looked down on a slender bamboo nearby.

“Look how fragile you are,” the oak tree said. “The slightest breeze makes you bend. I stand unmoved, rooted in strength.”

For a while, the oak’s words seemed true. Whenever a breeze would pass, the bamboo would sway constantly while the oak remained stiff and firm. That was until a great storm came.

Rain poured. Winds roared. And the entire forest shook. The oak resisted with everything it had, refusing to bend. But in it’s stubbornness, it snapped it half.

The bamboo on the other hand, bowed to the storm. It bent and swayed under it’s force. Silent and patient, letting the wind rush past it. And when the skies cleared, the bamboo rose again—alive, unbroken, and stronger for having endured.

This parable reminds me of the quote by Marcus Aurelius where he says, “If it’s endurable, then endure it.”

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a little blunt, but it’s a powerful reminder that we often spend more energy fighting what can’t be changed than we do facing it. That complaining doesn’t weaken the thing happening to us, it only weakens you.

I think we can learn something from this parable. That even though the oak resisted with pride, it is humility that makes the difference when it comes to standing against what life has to throw at you.

It sounds kind of contradictory, but I’ve found that endurance isn’t about gritting your teeth and resenting your way through the struggle. It’s about trusting that you can handle what’s in front of you and being flexible to whatever happens.

So the next time you face a difficulty, ask yourself: Is this something I can endure? And if the answer is yes—which it should be, because there is nothing you haven’t been able to endure up till now—then endure it. Without complaint. Without bitterness. Because just like the bamboo, every storm you endure leaves you stronger, calmer, and more resilient than before.

Until next time,
Isaiah Taylor

Dive Deeper

What I’m Currently Reading - I’m now reading Surprised By Joy by C.S. Lewis. A type of autobiography highlighting Lewis’ journey from being one of the world’s most renowned atheist to that of a devoted Christian.

Quote Of The Week - “Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one.” — Bruce Lee