Bamboo and Life

Bamboo and Life
Over in Japan, bamboo is used for many things that we here in America use metal for. Bamboo is very strong, pliable, grows very fast, and is lightweight. Bamboo is even use for scaffolding to build tall buildings going up many stories high.
Since bamboo is so useful for so many things, the Japanese ordered a study to see if they could grow the bamboo even faster. It grows very rapidly already but the government wanted to see if more improvement would come.
The scientists decided to create a perfect growing environment. They made the soil optimum with all kinds of helpful minerals and miracle-gro type stuff. Wind barriers were put up because sometimes a strong wind would blow the bamboo down. A screen was put over the whole site to keep out insects. The screen also softened the rainfall so that it wouldn't be to harsh and damaging. The exact direction and amount of sunlight coming in was controlled. The amount of water was controlled. Artificial rain if needed and a shield would come out if more rainfall wasn't needed. Every possible obstacle was removed that would be detrimental to growth. Everything was perfect.

Even the scientists were astounded. The quickly growing bamboo grew four times faster than "normal" bamboo. It grew so fast that you could literally stand and watch it grow. Success! There would now be plenty of bamboo since they could now produce it four times faster than before.
A worker was sent in to chop the bamboo down so they could begin using it. As he grabbed a shoot to position it for the blade, it crumbled in his hand. He grabbed another and it also crumbled in his hand. One by one, every shoot in the experiment crumbled into little fragments when grasped. This "perfect bamboo" growing under perfect conditions was worthless. There was never any resistance or obstacle for the bamboo to overcome. No hard rain, no blowing wind, no searing sun rays, no rocky soil. With no resistance there was no strength to it. Without the lightweight, strength to it, it was worthless.
Embrace the difficulties and problems you encounter in life. These are what builds strength of character. As the philosopher Neitsche said, "That which does not kill us, makes us stronger." A person that uses weights to give him resistance builds larger or stronger muscles as they regularly increase the resistance they can handle. They are a stronger person because of the resistance. That's what our problems are: resistance to be overcome to be a stronger human being. The only people with no problems are dead. Welcome problems and see them as opportunities to grow and excel. We all know of people that had everything handed to them from the day they were born. Many of these people crumble like the bamboo when the slightest problem from real life steps in. Parents that shield their children from difficulties aren't doing them any favors. It's almost child abuse since Mommy and Daddy won't always be there and they will have to grow up - and quickly.