When we hear that expression, “grace under fire” it evokes images of resiliency, the ability to withstand extreme stress while remaining calm. In fact, “Never let ‘em see you sweat“was the tagline of a popular TV commercial. The underlying thought was to avoid demanding or strained situations at all costs. And then, when you can’t avoid them, try to look cool.
But what if the stressful situation itself is the gift? What if it’s the very doorway through which we grow stronger, better, wiser and happier? Could it be that going through the crucible is one of the keys to new life, growth and fulfillment?
Back in 1980, thick forests of pine trees graced the landscape of Mount St. Helens in the Cascade mountain range of Washington State. It was also the home of a volcano, one of 160 active volcanoes known as the Pacific Ring of Fire.
On May 18th of that year Mount St. Helens erupted in a fiery spew of lava, pumice, rock and ash, triggering instant avalanches of earth and debris. It was the deadliest and most expensive volcanic event in U.S. history. The north face of the mountain was destroyed in the 9-hour eruption, taking with it 57 souls, 250 homes, 47 bridges, 15 miles of railways and 185 miles of highway. A gray mushroom cloud of volcanic ash buried 230 square miles of forest. It looked like the lunar landscape. At the time, looking at pictures of the aftermath, I thought the terrain would be a wasteland forever.
Then I read about the pines. The jack pine cone is the very essence of grace under fire. It defines the term. Most jack pine cones are sealed in a resin that prevents the cone from drying out. The resin also protects the seeds inside, which are only released under a certain particular circumstance – extreme heat. It takes at least 112 degrees F to melt the resin, allowing the seeds to emerge.
These pine cones were made for fire. The very flames of the Mt. St. Helens eruption melted the resin and burst the cones. And since jack pine seedlings continue to sprout for up to three years after a fire, the survival of the forest was assured in the very midst of its devastation.
So what pressures, economic crises, stresses and problems are laying waste to your life right now? Instead of trying to avoid them, or trying to fake looking cool when you feel anything but, face them, even embrace them with confidence that a new and improved life is waiting on the other side of the situation. And in the midst of the tumult, contemplate the seeds you will release and sprout to start life anew.
Like the jack pine cone, something in you is made for just this circumstance. You are carrying your own resurrection within you all the time.
We human beings need the challenges we face in business and life to bring out the best in us. Remember, it is only by going through the furnace that we are burnished into the purest gold. Only when we are consumed in the fire can we rise, phoenix-like, from the ashes.
