Perseverance
This summer, I've had five character traits on my mind as we work at our middle school on making them part of our school culture of PRIDE (perseverance, respect, integrity, dependability, and excellence). It turns out that this weekend, I had multiple personal lessons in perseverance. I had opportunities to push through many obstacles including nature-created hurdles, technical difficulties, and even physical pain!
First of all, here are some synonyms for perseverance that really hit home for me: persistence, stamina, tenacity, grit (not GRITS that you eat!), pluck, and endurance. Maybe you can match some of the scenarios below to the synonyms for perseverance.
To start the weekend, Saturday Mike and I hiked the Broad River Trail south of Currahee Mountain. We thought we were hiking a familiar 3 1/2 mile trail we chose because we had limited time. As it turned out, we had to scramble over, around, and through multiple trees that have fallen since the last time we hiked this trail in the Spring. Since I teach Language Arts, I like to think of these pictures of "man versus nature" conflicts. We (nature and us) worked together to navigate the trail, but I sure would not have wanted to be underneath a tree that was close to falling the day before and finished falling with us close by. Nature would DEFINITELY have won with so much size and strength on her side!
After the hike, I was supposed to work on the computer at McDonald's with a student. Two things happened. First, when I put the key in the ignition to start my car, it only 'clicked' and 'clacked', but would not start. I decided to walk to McDonald's to meet the student, but after I got there, the internet there did not work. My car didn't work, and the internet didn't work; I really felt like crying or screaming, but I knew that would not solve the two problems I had. Mike and I put our heads together, and one car battery and one wi-fi hot-spot at the coffee shop down the road later, I accomplished what I needed to accomplish. Persevering through our problems paid off.
Sunday's lessons in perseverance came in the form of a hike. We hiked to Upper Whitewater Falls, a 3 1/2 mile trail (one way) that starts in South Carolina and ends up at a viewing platform in North Carolina across from one of my favorite waterfalls. The trail itself takes perseverance because there are steep steps and boulders to go up, down, and around. I nick-named the picture of the tree 'Rapunzel Tree' because it was so nice of the tree to let its roots grow in such a way that we could climb up (and back down) them. The picture of my leg only LOOKS like I grew a second knee. Actually, I banged my shin on the branch of a fallen tree while I was navigating rocks and boulders by Whitewater river on the trail. It hurt when I banged it, swelled up so that it looks like I actually have two knees, and didn't feel great as I hiked the three miles to the end of the trail and back home. Mike wasn't inclined to carry me those three miles, so I had to walk them myself. Thank goodness I had Arnica and Ibuprofen in my hiking first aid kit. My only choice in the case was persevering, so I chose to persevere with a smile on my face. I only cried once I was safely back in the car!
We even saw several examples of nature persevering...the leaf refusing to fall out of the tree...the stick hitching a ride in my hair....
So why persevere through all of this? It would be SO much easier to just buy some post cards and be done with it. Those pictures are just as pretty as mine - except that I didn't take those pictures on the post cards. I persevere because when I am out in nature, it's more beautiful when I go through my own effort to get there to see it, and I'm a healthier person because of it. When you work hard to do something, it just FEELS good inside - whether it's hiking like I did this weekend or solving an algebra equation or studying and doing well on a test. Admit it; you know what I mean! If not, then try it and see! I promise that when you persevere and succeed, it will be worth it every time!
