June 06th, 2018

How is this for an example of Synergy?  If you aren't quite sure what the photo is of I will explain.  Somehow a palm tree and a ficus were planted too close together.  Eventually the ficus surrounded the palm tree and yet they are still growing, still healthy, and even stronger then they would be alone.

Palm trees have very shallow routes, the Ficus roots more deeply.  Palm trees do very well in sandy "soil" ( and I use that term loosely), the Ficus only so-so.    The Ficus is a more limber, more flexible tree that can be whipped around madly in a hard wind.  The palm is a little more rigid with a straighter, stronger core.  Together they are something special.

I think any really good relationship should be like that.  Separately, two very awesome individuals who can survive perfectly well on their own.  Each of them has an identify of their own, interests,  preferences, strengths and weaknesses.  Together, a strong, healthy long-lasting relationship should still have two separate individuals who are stronger and more interesting, but still with their own identities,  their own interests and preferences.  In the very best relationships, the strengths get stronger and the weaknesses get shored up.

My Nana would illustrate this with her hands.  The two individuals would be her two separate hands, palm up, fingers spread wide.  The fingers are the strengths the space between the fingers are the weaknesses.  Then she would lace her fingers together, that's the union of the two people. Together, they fill the gaps. Together they are a unit, stronger and more solid.  I'm a visual person, so I really like that memory.  And I like this photograph.

Nearly every day, at some point, I walk past this synergistic pair of trees that have become, essentially one tree, a better tree.   And everytime I see it, I smile.

And that  is not a bad thing at all.