elasticity (noun) – the state or quality of being capable of returning to original length, shape, etc., after being stretched, deformed, compressed, or expanded; flexibility; resilience; adaptability; ability to resist or overcome depression; buoyancy
Does your mind quickly snap to rubber bands, too? I believe that we can be extremely elastic individuals but only if we consistently and gradually work at it slowly. When we are more elastic, we are more flexible. We can avoid injuries more easily, and we can roll with the proverbial punches that life throws at us more efficiently. Here is a sugjestion:
Pause here for a moment to take stock of your current elastic clocks. Are they wound tight, or are they loose and ready to move in whatever direction is best? Consider your elasticity from a physical standpoint as well as emotional, mental/psychological, and spiritual aspects. I am now envisioning those walls that have many clocks side-by-side due to different cities across multiple time zones. Do you track them all well? Do you ever even look at them to check in well? Can you increase elasticity if you do not recognize it?
How often do we try to be too rigid and tough? How well do we see that work for trees? The most inflexible trees are the ones that break first when trying to sway in high winds and turbulent conditions. The tallest and oldest trees are the ones that can bend to the wind when they need to until resiliently returning to and resuming their original form.
Beauty in grace. Grace in beauty.
Elasticity can be easily underrated in my experience. It can be nice to go fast, but there is also beauty in going slowly. There are times when brute strength can be beneficial, but gentle softness also has its time and place. Shoring up and solidifying our resiliency leads to flexing our fluidity. We can move between various forms and speeds to best meet the need of each situation as it arises. Why do you think Bruce Lee encouraged us to be like water? Water fills whatever place we put it in. Are you filling the places that you are in?
Are you expanding and contracting accordingly? Elasticity encourages and enables best movement for each moment. Do you move in the same way because that is simply your engrained habit? Can you try to change it up a little to expand your elasticity? Personally, I find the variety to be far more exciting and fun. It allows me to sink deeper into each moment, presenting more presence with more active mindfulness in many more steps.
Maybe it is wise. Maybe it is dumb. Time will tell.