Where To From Here?

in #hive-126152last year

It's no secret that I like to walk. If the weather and time permit, I'd rather walk. During these walks, a bunch of thoughts are roaming around my head. The topics can differ from my current problems to spontaneous thoughts, triggered by something I see during my walks. It's a good way to find answers and solutions to my problems and also a good way to clear my head while getting some fresh air. Yes, I know, thinking about your problems is not exactly clearing your head, but if you find a solution, then it can be considered clearing your head as the problem can be solved and you have one less to deal with.

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This month I've been walking up and down in an alley that is not only liked by many, but perfect for relaxation as well. We had a long autumn and trees were still green, but leaves were starting to fall already and the branches were visible. Looking at these trees I remembered someone on Hive (or the legacy chain to be precise) said, "that tree really wants to grow in every direction" and he was right. Unfortunately I can't remember exactly who it was, but his words (it was a guy for sure) stuck in my head forever. This is how my mind works, I tend to remember certain things for a long time. This can be good and bad, but I prefer to keep the good things only and forget about the bad ones, or bury them as deep as possible. Imagine when charting, I can hear my mentor talking about "mean reversions and inverse fair value gaps" and so on :D It's a huge advantage for sure, but that's not where I want to go with this story today.

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While looking at these trees, was thinking how things work in life. Look at these trees. They grown and grow the way they want, then comes the human and starts cutting the branches one by one, one after the other as they please. Whenever a branch is ct, for the tree it means growing in that direction is stopped. What does the tree do then? It is looking to grow in a different direction. Rest assured the growth will not stop, there's always a new way to grow, mother nature makes sure of that. If not here, then there and there's always a way.

It's kind of cruel to cut the branches and humans are carrying out this cruelty regularly, for various reasons. What makes it even worse is when this cruelty is not limited to trees.

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And here comes the shocking part. Human life is not any different. The life these trees are having, their way of growing is similar to the road we're walking in life.

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Imagine yourself, planning out your life, starting from school, deciding with school you want to attend, then high school and later university. However, plans are plans and not always materialize the way you want them to. Or should I be honest and say they hardly ever materialize the way you want them. You don't get accepted to the university you want to attend for different reasons and chances to get accepted next year are slim to none. This translated to tree language means some humans cut your branch and won't allow you to grow in the desired direction. What do you do? Give everything up or look for another way to pursue your dreams?

Unfortunately, life is no Disneyland! Life is complicated. No one has a straight line to walk in life. No one! Even the well off and the wealthy ones are having problems, just different ones. Every road is full of curves, bumps, potholes, and sometimes you bump into dead ends too, when you need to walk back and find another way.

They did not know it was impossible so they did it. — Mark Twain

There are situations like the one the famous writer mentioned once. Plenty! I can tell you from experience, when you have no other choice, you will do it, no matter how difficult or impossible it seems.

I've been in a situation like that. I didn't know if it was possible to pull it off, so I did it as I had no other choice. When someone's life depends on you, you put aside your emotions and weaknesses and do everything in your power and beyond. In a case like I had, all I got was obstacles, day in day out and heavy ones. Most of the times I had no idea how to go on, which way to go, but somehow I always found a way and the necessary strength to go on. Breaking down was never an option.

When your back is against the wall and the world is against you, your survival instincts will guide you.

A good friend of mine, a very clever one said this and I totally agree with it. It's a proven fact and I know it's possible.

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I took this photo 5 years ago, in May 2018. It's not the best one and most likely you don't know what you're looking at or why I'm posting this. Look again and see if you can spot something unusual, besides the damaged wall. High up there's a small plant growing out of the bricks. Can you see it? Does that look usual to you? At the bottom, on the right side, there's another one, growing out of the bricks.

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This photo is more recent as it's from May this year. (Looks like May is the month to take these kinds of photos.) A similar scene, a small plant is growing out of the bricks.

I'm always thinking of how difficult it must be for that plant to live and grow. There's no fertile soil there, actually there's no soil there at all, max some sand brought by the wind. No one cares for these plants, but mother nature. Yet, they find a way to live and grow. When I go through difficult times and don't see the light at the end of the tunnel, I think of these poor plants.

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Then there's this poor tree, that can't make it on its own. Sometimes help is needed to go on, to make the next step. I know it's not easy to ask for help, or to accept help, but sometimes it's necessary.

There's always a way!

Crazy thoughts, I know, but this is how I see life. What about you?

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Yes, that's what happens in my place, many people cut down wood or forests for their own interests. The impacts that occur are floods or other natural disasters, so every year we have to endure these disasters in several places.

Yeah, that's true, however, cutting trees was not exactly what I meant here.

ya I understand.

Pruning some plants makes them stronger. It also happens to me that I go for a walk and reflective thoughts come out when looking at the trees and the sky. And more when the branches intertwine with each other, I find it interesting and very impressive to see.

Everyday life can provide you with a lot of good examples, which can be motivating, you just have to keep your eyes open and keep an open mind as well.

More walks are in order for you I think. So much in that head of yours 😉 I like the last photo of the tree. That support brace can be a metaphor for support in life. Oftentimes, support shows up unexpected when you need it. Support necessary for you to carry on. But often you don't ask for it. Or can't for some reason ask for it. Maybe don't even know you needed it. But it is provided just the same.

You're right, so much in my head :D

I like the last photo of the tree. That support brace can be a metaphor for support in life.

I agree with you and that's why I said, sometimes help is needed and you'll be surprised where support comes from, even from total strangers. We have a bunch of great examples on Hive for that.

A veces nos pasa que tenemos varios problemas rondando por nuestra cabeza y preferimos hacer oidos sordos, seguir en nuestras rutinas o mantenernos ocupados con algo más para no pensar en eso asi que es muy valiente de tu parte decidir tener un momento a solar para ir pensando de a poco en eso considero que es lo más sano. Por otro lado me gusto tu reflexion acerca de cortar las ramas de un arbol pero yendo a la practica a los arboles les sirve ser podados para que puedan crecer más altos, aunque claro esta poda debe ser en un momento exacto porque si se hace en otra fecha puede perjudicarlo. No se, me parecio interesante comentar esto

Lovely thoughts put into words.

Thank you for the nice words @grindle. I tried my best.

you're welcome.

Your reflections on life during your walks resonate so much with me. The analogy of trees and human experiences is indeed powerful. Life's journey may not be a straight line, but your perspective encourages us to embrace the unexpected and find strength in adversity.

Thanks for sharing your deep thoughts and the beautiful symbolism captured in your photos.

Your reflections on life during your walks resonate so much with me.

I'm really happy to read this.

Sounds good.

there's always a new way to grow,

Absolutely, As humans, if something isn't working for you on the other way, we have to change our perspectives so we could grow. Growth is not you stocking in one place, growth is you changing strategies and doing better.

Life teaches you to be creative, always look for alternatives and do your best.

First thing, how did you manage to take such unique photos often? I used to enjoy walking like this before, we had such kind of alleys for walk and I used to enjoy walking on the golden, yellow fallen leaves.

When I go through difficult times and don't see the light at the end of the tunnel, I think of these poor plants.

This is such positive thinking, I never thought that way though...

First thing, how did you manage to take such unique photos often?

I have a bunch of these. Since I'm on Hive, I always walk with my eyes wide open and take photos of everything. You have no idea how many interesting things are there to see and a lot of these things have deep, I mean really deep meaning.

This is such positive thinking, I never thought that way though...

I think you should. It can help you get some strength for your next step in life. It helps me a lot.

Definitely gonna increase my observation power and thanks for sharing such positive words. Changing perspective seems gonna change many aspects of life...

I fully agree with you. You'll see the benefits of it pretty soon, trust me.

Thanks, Erikah for such motivation...

Always a pleasure.

Hello, interesting reflection, life is not easy, nor straight, I think that is where our purpose is, to try to straighten it, to be able to grow, notice when they cut the branch of the tree, it looks for ways to continue growing, on the other hand , that's our life. We start something and there is always an obstacle, it is a question or part of us to continue growing.

If we let ourselves be carried away by our negative thoughts, we will never achieve anything and we will not win, we must face those thoughts and let our life flow. always looking inside ourselves,

You are right, nothing is straight in life, there are always a lot of obstacles and getting through those makes us stronger.

Quite a reflection! And yes, there's so much to learn about life and there's no one who's an authority, we just pick up bits here and there, then piece them together to make a jagged whole. A school of its own, this life, with different teachings.
But when I look at the plants growing in the brick, I just say that we have to really be tough to thrive in tough times, and then comes a support system that helps us anchor, times we are almost loosing it. So Life is what we do everyday but we must maintain a positive attitude so we can get the required strength to keep going.

True. Giving up is not an option and no matter how difficult it is, we always have to find a way to go forward.