At the intersection of Loop 322 and Oldham Lane in Abilene, Texas there is a cactus growing out of the middle of a Mesquite tree. I first noticed this strange sight a year ago and now I look at it and shake my head nearly every time I drive by it.
Compared to Glacier National Park, or Yosemite National Park it's not really all that amazing. But, it's still kind of a cool sight.
How does a Prickly Pear Cactus grow right in the middle of a tree?
To me, it's just an example of toughness and survival.
It takes a special kind of plant to survive in West Texas. There's not enough rain on a regular basis and the winds are brutal.
Weather wise, it can be tough times on vegetation.
Similarly, it takes a special kind of person to survive and ultimately thrive in tough times.
Let's face it, there have always been tough times.
Look at the people from the Great Depression. They hit rock bottom in 1929. Times were hard and they didn't let up for years. Then, WW II hit and hit hard. That lasted, for America, from 1941 until 1945.
So, pretty much from 1929 through 1945, there were hard times for American citizens.
A lot of people jumped out of buildings in 1929. Those that didn't and kept on keeping on became very tough.
They were tough like that cactus growing out of the middle of the tree. They were survivors.
There were many other times in America when times were tough. The Revolutionary War, the Civil War, WW I, and numerous other recessions all through our history meant hard times for many.
America today is going through a hard time. Nothing like the Great Depression, but a hard time none the less.
How about today's citizen? Are we tough? Are we survivors?
On the surface it looks like we are weenies and will crumble at the drop of a hat. But, really, I think the opposite might be true when all is said and done.
People in general are survivors.
There was a time, not so very long ago, that I thought things were too hard to continue. I thought I couldn't take another single thing happening to us or to me.
Turns out I could take it and not only take it but thrive when all is said and done.
I preferred my life to be easy, but when all is said and done, I may turn out to be like that cactus.
I'm surely not going to lay down and die in drought conditions or heavy winds.
1 comment:
Powerful!
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