The wind in Colorado has been intense the past few days. Crazy wind. It blows with such a strong force that you think it’s gonna scoop you right up! It stirs up the dust to make my view of the mountains hazy. And most people here think it’s generally annoying.
Despite our irritation with this annual rite of passage from springtime to summer in the West, is there a lesson the wind can teach us?
Yep, there is.
I read recently that trees need wind in order to grow tall and strong. Years ago scientists learned this from the Biosphere 2 experiment in Arizona where they lived in a man-made underground environment to see how vegetation would survive. Without the wind, they discovered, trees drooped over and crept along the ground. No backbone.
Perhaps the same is true for men and women: when the winds of change, or the winds of adversity blow, the strong breezes serve to make us stronger.
Hmmm. Strong winds, strong character.
So blow on, blustery breezes of springtime! And then disperse and let us bask in the glory of summer—stronger for it and full of joy.
