High above the
windswept slopes of the
forest contains some of the oldest known living things in the world,one among it is the gnarled and
twisted Bristlecone Pines. The oldest tree is estimated to be 4,700+ years old and has been
rightfully named Methuselah, after the patriarch in the Bible.These amazing trees have a unique
secret for survival. It’s called Adversity.
The Bristlecone Pines are so amazing because they grow as twisted, gnarled, windswept trees at elevations
around 10,000 feet and survive in extremely rough sandstone soil terrain. Invasions
from bacteria, fungus or insects that prey upon most plants are unknown to the bristlecone due to
their dense, highly resinous wood. The dry air common in the subalpine region helps preserve the
trees from rotting. This tree rightly stands an illustration for the Bible verse 2 corinthians 4:17
“For our light affliction which is but for a moment,worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal
weight of glory” and romans
of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made…”
Yeah that’s true.The tree has got its own significance of survival solely because of its long-
standing nature.
Adversity should be considered advantageous.It is a benefactor of life.It makes life worth living. It
clearly distinguishes between a shallow meaningless life and a praise-worthy glorious renown
life.To win without risk is to triumph without glory.
That’s why we see William Shakespeare, the greatest of the English poets notes down here,
...the icy fang
And churlish chiding of the winter's wind,
Which when it bites and blows upon my body
Even till I shrink with cold, I smile, and sad
“This is no flattery. These are counselors
That feelingly persuade me what I am.'
Sweet are the uses of adversity
Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,
Wears yet a precious jewel in his head;
And this our life, exempt from public haunt,
Finds tongues in trees, books in running brooks,
Sermons in stones, and good in everything.
At the beginning of the second act of As You Like It, Duke Senior and his co-mates have fled to
the woods to escape the travails of life. There, as if in the bucolic calm of
what Shakespeare elsewhere calls the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Duke Senior spoke
as indicated.
Albert Einstein who had created an inflatable universe had rightly quoted, “Great spirits’ve always
found violent appositions from the mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man
doesnot thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his
intelligence”
Do deem mentioning the Indian history as a rare privilege. As we all know our motherland has
taken long painful treads all along its pathway to have emerged to this position; to have become
one of the developing nations across the globe. Retrograding to years before of this grand success
to when
developments she has undergone. Here it refers not to the nation as a whole but to each and every
man and woman in the country which in turn led to the rise of what we now call civilization. This
change came about through the development of agriculture, which enabled people to leave their
nomadic ways of life and settle down, and the establishment of the home, which led to other
institutions that we associate with civilization, such as schools, churches, and universities. This
transition took many centuries, during which the men hunted their quarry with increasing
difficulty, while the women they left at home tended the soil ever more fruitfully. This patient
cultivation by women, threatened to make them independent of their husbands, and for the sake of
their own authority men finally settled down to till the soil as well.
Then was the great turning point in human history- the rise of modern science and the industrial
revolution and then the ability to manipulate the human genome is nowhere to be left behind. Each
of these turning points marks a significant advance in our ability to eliminate sources of adversity
from human life.
Historically speaking,the revolt of 1887 and the following war of independence and the freedom
struggle were a great sting to every patriots in the country. Now the consequence, we the people
are able to walk around freely in the streets. The freedom fighters,of course, had their own day of
adversity but now have been honoured with memorials in whichever place they had their bad
times which leaves a mark on everyone who sees it. Thus Francis Fukuyama said, “A person who
has not confronted suffering for death has no depth” Isn’t it sweet? Ain’t this adversity turned into
honey?
Now looking at
The net GDP(gross domestic product) results of
The value of rupee has reached its highest peak within these years, although the net growth income of U.S
and other developed countries has lowered to some extent. These are the good signs for
future. IT and Telecom sectors has grown to much extent and the new future of
blinking light. So we should conclude that
Now if sometime in the future we develop the ability to remove all adversity from human
experience, would it be a good idea to do so?
Great men achieved greatness because they could successfully emerge through worst of trials and
tribulations.In the days of prosperity, one cares little about those trials and tribulations,but are
rather obsessed by their victories!
So now let us join our hands in acceptance of what Mallosch has left to us years back about the
sweet uses of adversity.
“Good timber doesnot grow in ease.
The stronger the wind the tougher the trees;
By sun and cold by rains and snows,
In tree or man, good timber grows! ”
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