This fun piece of public art can be symbolic of our relationship with attitudes, beliefs, plans and dreams.
There is something to be said for holding on and keeping going, despite the odds, setbacks and discouragement. Indeed there are so many inspirational quotes, like the ones below from postage stamps to oak trees, that assure us persistence is always rewarded:
- Consider
the postage stamp: its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one
thing till it gets there (Josh Billings)
- Continuous,
unflagging effort, persistence and determination will win. Let not the man
be discouraged who has these (James Whitcomb Riley)
- When
the world says, "Give up," Hope whispers, "Try it one more
time." (Author Unknown)
- The
greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground (Author Unknown)
But like anything, an overused strength becomes too
much. The positiveness of persistence
weakens into obstinence. We lose perspective. No longer can
we see clearly what is happening for we are trapped in our way of being and
doing. It can creep up on us like a slow moving fog or overcome us like a dark cloud, as it did with a leader recently. She had been talking about how persistence
was one of her key qualities. Suddenly however she came face to face with her
stubbornness when challenged to present her vision to a wider audience. Her fixation became constrictive,
disenabling and disempowering.
Ah, how we see others so clearly ;)
So, if as has been suggested, the art of living is
in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on, it is up to each of us to figure out
how, when and why we do either. Honest self-reflection and feedback can help us in that discovery.
Image: own photo
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