Bamboo: Strength and Surrender

Reflections by Sr. Antonia Cooper, OSF, Plainfield, New Jersey

The bamboo tree inspired
this design, for it holds within
itself the reality of both polarities –
strength and surrender.
Being aware of these “pulls”
within my life, as I had experienced
them, a sense of peacefulness
and groundedness has
somewhat calmed the tugs
between the two.
The lesson the bamboo has
been teaching me is
to embrace both within.
The yang of strength
complements
the yin of surrender….
Strength is so needed to be able
to surrender….and
in the surrendering,
we experience our center of strength.
They are not opposites at all,
they coexist, harmonize
balance and give life to one another
…….and to the persons who
welcome them with an embrace.