I learned that the strongest trees grow in the rockiest ground. Takes longer, but the roots grip deeper. The wind shapes them, too. The ones that survive are not just rooted deep, but flexible. They bend. They yield. They live to see the storm pass. The sun can blister the leaves, too, even on the strongest branches. Sometimes the deepest strength is knowing when to let a part of yourself wither and fall, so the rest can keep reaching for the light.