Principal’s Perspectives: Like Bamboo Trees!
I have bamboo trees in my backyard. We had some pretty gusty days this winter when the snow whipped through the air and the wind blew close to 80 km/h. Outside my window, the bamboo trees swayed this way and that, their six-metre tops bending low to the ground before being buffeted up and forced to bend in the opposite direction.
Remarkably, in those treacherous moments, not one of them snapped. And now, on the verge of spring, I look out my window and see them all there, reaching out to the sky, standing tall and high.
How do bamboos do it? How do they survive such extreme wind and cold to make it to spring? One reason is that bamboo trees grow in groups. You never see a bamboo stalk growing alone. They look thin and weak as individual plants. But together, it is a different story.
Another reason is that they are flexible. From their base to their very highest tips, bamboos can bend, take the stress of a push or a pull and distribute the energy through their entire structure.
So, even if strong winds blow hard, bamboo trees can hold themselves well and hang in there together. That is why they rarely break. They take on harsh conditions with their flexibility, gentleness and collectivity. The bamboo trees’ agility and nimbleness are inspiring. Their steady, persistent evergreen presence teaches us about the divine presence, community, resilience and grace. These are good lessons for precarious and scary times.
Recently, we witnessed these lessons at school:
Tibetan monks from the Palyul Pema Mani Center in North York came to Emmanuel and over three days painstakingly created a beautiful sand mandala and then dismantled it, a ritual to remind us of the impermanence of life.
Our Muslim friends travelled through the fasting of Ramadan and celebrated Eid.
Our Christian friends continue to journey through Lent heading into Holy Week to mark the death of Jesus with the joy of new life beyond.
We are all living in unsettling times. Where shall we find a source of resilience for our turbulent times?
So, we draw on our spiritual traditions. We focus on our academic goals. We dance like bamboo trees, being nimble, responsive and resilient together.
—Principal HyeRan Kim-Cragg