Story time - Perseverance and tenacity . Take advantage of setbacks to grow

The way to success is never an easy path.
On our way to achieving our goals, we are often faced with difficulties which of course is not bad because, these make us develop and build up that strength we need to succeed.
Here is a Pedro Pablo's story that teaches Perseverance. Enjoy...

Once upon a time there were four seeds
who were good friends of each other. Taken up
by the wind they finally landed in a jungle
clearing. There they remained, hidden on the
ground, hoping they would be able to grow up
and become beautiful trees .

But when the first seed began germinating,
they realised it wouldn't be such an easy task. In
that clearing there lived a group of monkeys, and
the smallest monkeys would amuse themselves
by throwing bananas at any plant they noticed
was starting to grow. Using this game, the
monkeys learnt how to throw bananas and they
also kept the clearing free of vegetation.

They threw so many bananas at that first
seed that it was almost split in two. And when it
told the other seeds what happened, they all
agreed it would be better to wait for that group of
monkeys to move on, before they attempted to
grow.

Well, they all thought that, apart from one,
who thought she should at least attempt it . And
when she tried she was pelted with bananas, and
was left folded over in two. The other seeds got
together and asked her to stop trying, but that
little seed was completely determined to become a
tree, and time and again she would try and try . On
each new occasion the little monkeys had slightly
improved their aim, and so the little seed ended
up doubled over yet again.

But the seed didn’t give up. Every time
they pelted her with bananas , she tried even
harder, despite her friends begging her to stop,
and telling her to wait until the monkeys left. And
so, for days, weeks and months the little plant
was attacked by the monkeys , and she always
ended stooped and doubled over. For a few days
she would manage to avoid the bananas, but then
the next day some monkey would hit her, and it
would all start over again .

And then, one day, she didn’t double over.
She was hit by a banana, and then another, but
none of them managed to make her stoop . She
had taken so many blows, and been doubled over
so many times, that she was full of hard knots
and scars that helped her to grow more strongly
than the other seeds. So, her slim trunk got
thicker and more resistant, until it could withstand
the impact of a banana. And she was already so
well developed that nor could the little monkeys
uproot her from the ground. And there she stayed,
growing, growing and growing.

Thanks to the extraordinary strength of her
trunk she could continue overcoming all
difficulties , until she became the most majestic
tree in the jungle. Meanwhile her friends remained
hidden in the ground, and they continued as ever,
hoping that those horrible monkeys would
abandon the clearing , never realising that those
very same monkeys were the only ones capable of
strengthening the seeds' trunks by their method
of throwing bananas, something that would
prepare the seeds for all the problems they would
confront during their growth.