What is Strength

The teacher stood in front of her students thinking of an animal that might capture their attention for today's lesson.

A kangaroo.

Her students looked in awe as she shifted forms and a giant kangaroo began to teach them.

"What questions do you have for me today?" She asked, looking at her students.

The young Minor Fairy, Minotaur, a few Major Fairies, two Giants, three Centaurs, five Faun, and an angel sat in front of her.

She smiled as they sat thinking. She enjoyed their inquisitive minds that seemed to be full of a list of never ending questions. And she would encourage it whenever she could.

"What is strength?" One of the Giants asked, though still very young already was taller than their teacher, even sitting down.

"That is a perfect question for today. Does anyone have an answer?" She always asked her students first to see what they had to say before giving her own answer.

The little Minor Fairy raised her hand, after her teacher nodded she answered, "It is being physically able to move stuff."

"It can be! Does anyone else have an answer?"

With blank stares returning her question, she continued, "How many of you think you are strong?"

She smiled sadly as only two of her students raised their hands.

How many times had she found that children only knew what their society reflected as strength? How many times had she wished she could teach them sooner what should be known?

Far too many.

"Why are you strong?" she asked the two.

"We can move things. No one can push us around. We are sturdy?" They answered, each taking a turn when the other paused.

"Yes, that is a good answer! Did you know though that is only one version of strength? Now let's look at Dahlia. Is Dahlia strong?" She asked, pointing to the Minor Fairy.

Her students shook their heads no, even little Dahlia.

"I disagree." She said as they looked shocked.

"Why? She can't move anything. Anyone can push her around." The angel said, confused at why their teacher would disagree with their decision.

"What does a flower, a mountain, a river, and a tree have in common?"

"They are all elements!" The young ogre said proudly.

The teacher chuckled and agreed, "Yes! Yes they are all elements, but they are all also strong."

"A flower isn't strong. It dies easily." One of the young Centaur brought up thoughtfully.

"It is actually, and I will explain. First we will talk about the mountain. It has an obvious strength. It is unmovable, it can withstand almost anything. Almost. It is heavy, sturdy. You can see it is strong, huh?"

Her students nodded their heads.

"The other three are just as strong in their own ways. They can not compare to the mountain in its form of strength, but the mountain can not compare with theirs either."

She pointed to a tree, "A tree can be burned by fire, blown down by wind, or crushed, but it is strong. As it grows so its roots also grow. Deep into the solid earth. The root anchors the tree. The roots keep it staying steadfast. The deeper the roots into the ground the stronger it stands. You may never see its strength, but it is there. Below the surface. Deep and rooted. Grounding it. Keeping it steadfast."

She hopped along as her students followed her to the river.

"Look at the river. You can see it flows where the bank will have it flow. What could a river's strength be?"

"Persistence." The young Ogre answered.

"You are right." She answered, excited to be shocked by her student. "How is its persistence strong?" She asked him.

"The river or the water is soft. It flows. It doesn't look very strong, but over time it makes its own path. We learned that in our science class."

"Good! Yes, it has a soft strength. It continues moving, flowing. It can forge its own path because it continues moving forward. Did you know it can even break through mountains? Through rock?"

After a variety of nods and head shakes she continued to teach them about the river's strength.

"It continues, sometimes only a drop at a time and eventually the mountain, or rock, will break. It can smooth a rock's surface, or even change its shape. It is strong, but not like the mountain or the tree. It is persistent. It does not back down and continues on its course. Persistent that one day it will breakthrough."

The teacher led them to sit around a little wildflower.

"Now how in the world could this little flower possibly be strong?"

"It is a trick question. It can't be strong. The flower doesn't have anything that the others have. It can be crushed under someone's foot, destroyed from winter, and plucked. It can die quickly and doesn't last long."

"Interesting observation. It does fade too quickly sometimes, but it also has strength. How many times have you seen flowers bloom in this exact spot?"

They all raised their hands and looked curiously at the delicate little flower.

"This little flower is a perennial. That means that it comes back each year. It always will return. No matter if it is frozen, plucked, crushed, or destroyed. It will always return. It endures. It is delicate, so easily taken away, but each year you see it growing where it was before. It has the strength of endurance. Enduring difficulties and growing once again."

"So out of all of these, which is the better strength?"

"None is better. They all have their own strengths." The Minotaur said as he thought through what their teacher's lesson was.

"Exactly! We are all different. We are built differently, we have different talents, abilities, personalities. We have different strengths. The flower, the river, the tree, and the mountain. You can not compare one of their strengths with another."

She looked at Dahlia first and then the rest of her students.

"Is she strong? Look at her. It isn't obvious, but is she strong?"

"Yes." The little Ogre replied understanding.

"How?" Dahlia, how are you strong?"

"I, uh. I don't know."

"That is okay. A lot of us don't know our own strengths. Do you want to know how you can learn them?"

The Minor Fairy nodded.

"First to find your strengths, you explore! Be curious about yourself. You are more capable than you ever gave yourself credit for. And secondly don't compare yours strength with someone else's. If you compare or try to have someone else's strength you will never be enough. You might be close to strong, but you will never be as strong as you could be. Do not compare strengths, but explore and build your own! I believe in all of you, you are all strong."

So what are you?

Yes you, the one reading this now.

Are you a flower?

A river?

A tree?

A mountain?

Or maybe something entirely different?

Do not be discouraged or compare with someone else's strengths.

Explore and build your own!

Because I see you.

I believe in you.

And I fully believe you are strong.