“Since ever, in China, bamboo farmers have planted baby bamboo shoots deep into the ground. And then, for three years, nothing happens. But the farmers will work, diligently watering the shoot, spreading hay and manure, waiting patiently even though nothing is sprouting up. They simply have faith. And then, one day, the bamboo will shoot up and grow up to thirty feet in a month. It just blasts into the sky.”
I owe this bit of knowledge about bamboo to Amanda Palmer. Her book, The Art of Asking (2014), describes what she learned while making her living as a human statue. She covered her face with white face paint, put on an old wedding gown, stood on a box on the sidewalk giving flowers to people who gave her, “the bride”, coins or poems. I didn’t read every page, I didn’t have the patience to read about the couchsurfing she experienced as a musician, but the parts I read were fascinating.
Just between us, I don’t have much patience. The world probably would not have bamboo if I was in charge. Sorting out Christmas CD’s just now about drove me nuts! Many discs were not in their appropriate plastic cases and without exception were dusty which stirred up my allergies further trying my patience. My cleverly designed red box system to store CD’s, doesn’t seem to be working as it takes patience to find the correct category and box.
Do you have patience? What tries your patience? When do you lose your patience?
More from Jon Burras soon. Are you feeling healthy? Are you moving?
Thanks for exploring the mystery – Nicky Mendenhall