In September, I walked the beautiful Fynbos Trail near Standford in the Western Cape. We marvelled at the miles of splendid colours of pincushion shrubs and meandered through ancient indigenous forests.
Throughout the weekend, our guide impressed on us, not only how plants in this area are adapted to survive fire, but also how crucial fire is for the survival of the floral kingdom. It wasn’t until scientists discovered that fire is necessary to propagate many fynbos species that we understood fynbos conservation.
In nearby Standford, a quote on a mural caught my eye. “When we think about fire in the Cape, we should not only think of ravaged earth and destruction, we should marvel at the role fire plays in regeneration, diversity, and life.”
We now know that fire is necessary for the survival of many species, but too frequent fires can also endanger them. Plants need to mature to produce seeds that remain underground. Frequent fires kill mature plants before they can produce seed. However, the seed cannot germinate until it is exposed to fire. This shows how challenging and complex conservation in these areas is.
The idea of fire management sparked my interest (pun intended!) in human lives. Difficulty is often likened to fire. In many religions, fire symbolizes purification. It is believed that hardship can result in beauty and strength of character. Hardship has led to great discoveries. We owe inventions like the printing press, radio, and GPS to plagues and wars.
Difficult times of loss or challenge can be times of reflection, rebirth, and reconnection in our lives. Often, we form strong bonds with people who support us through grief or loss. These experiences force us to reflect on our own patterns and our role in our difficulties. For instance, a relationship break-up can lead to the introspection needed to help us rediscover ourselves. We unlearn old, unhelpful patterns and learn new habits or ways of being in the world.
The devastation of our world through death, divorce, illness, career loss, or financial ruin can create a blackened earth for the revival of our lives. We can view it as a gift – a time when we can mourn to be reborn eventually.
There is a caveat: just as frequent fires can destroy fynbos, frequent hardship can also destroy us. Ongoing stress is detrimental to every aspect of our lives. It is linked to almost every severe disease and is unhelpful in family life. It does not lead to renewal; instead, it leads to decline. Sometimes, ongoing stress can lead to real hardship, and if we don’t address it in time, it may cause significant disruption in our lives.
Our challenge is to know when to stop. At what point do we end the ongoing drudgery of a life that is no longer satisfying or is exposing us to harm? Money may be the only reason we continue with such a stressful life.
However, we may not have life left.
It may be better to see your life at that point for what it is already, scorched earth, and pause to reflect and plan renewal.
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Kind regards,
Sunél