In Quebec, Canada, there was a loving couple who had recently fallen into conflict. For unknown reasons, they found themselves at an impasse, unable to yield to one another, and their marriage seemed to be on the brink of collapse.
Before deciding to part ways officially, they planned one last romantic journey together. They traveled to a vast valley that runs north to south. The landscape there was quite extraordinary: looking toward the western slope from the mountain peak, one would see a diverse array of rare trees—pines, cypresses, and privets of various shapes and sizes. However, turning toward the eastern slope, one would see only cedars, presenting a much more uniform view. This peculiar phenomenon fascinated many, yet no one could solve its mystery.
As they struggled to reach the summit, heavy snowflakes began to fall. They quickly set up a tent and huddled together, enjoying the beauty of the dancing snowflakes. Soon, they noticed that due to unique wind directions, the snowfall on the eastern slope was much heavier and denser than on the western slope. Before long, a thick layer of snow covered the cedars on the eastern slope. Yet, as the snow accumulated, the elastic branches of the cedars would bend downward until the snow slid off, at which point the branches would slowly rise again, standing firm amidst the storm.
In this way, the cedars were bent repeatedly, only to shed the snow and remain unharmed.
The wife said to her husband, "The eastern slope must have once grown many other trees like cypresses and privets, but because they couldn't bend, they were broken by the heavy snow. Over time, those unable to bend were eliminated by nature." Her words prompted deep reflection in her husband. The two began to discuss why the cedars survived while other species were eliminated. Moments later, they seemed to realize something profound; they embraced tightly and packed up their tent to head home.
In real life, it is inevitable for couples to encounter friction and disagreements. If we fail to shake off these minor dissonances in a timely manner and instead allow them to accumulate, the burden may eventually become unbearable.
Learning to "bend" might just be the best way to sustain a marriage.
