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From Chad

Surviving #1220

Oct 17, 2026 · 3 min · 4 segments

Zoom out to gain perspective and remember you’ll survive difficult times, then zoom back in to take action and grow. The story of a sequoia tree surviving a forest fire illustrates this principle.

Spotify Amazon Music Website

Speakers: Chad SmithHost

Top entities: Yosemite National Park Gumroad×2 Gmail World Wide Web

Show signals: SuitabilitySafeBiasNot political

Surviving the Fire and Growing the Next Ring0:31 – 2:59

C

0:31

Damien Girk tells the story of visiting the giant sequoias near Yosemite when he stopped at a cross-section of an old tree displayed in the visitor's center.

C

0:40

Hundreds of rings representing the hundreds of years the tree stood.

C

0:44

Most of the rings were light and even, but one band was dark, several rings in a row pinched and scarred.

C

0:51

The plaque on the display described the year there was a forest fire.

C

0:54

The fire was just a thin, dark band and a long, healthy life.

C

0:59

But I want to be careful here.

C

1:01

If you're in the fire right now, maybe you buried a child.

C

1:05

Maybe you got the diagnosis.

C

1:07

Maybe your finances are troubling.

C

1:10

The last thing you need is someone telling you your pain is a blip.

C

1:14

That isn't wisdom.

C

1:15

That's a comfortable person talking to a burning one.

C

1:19

But looking at the tree again, the dark ring is still there.

C

1:23

Hundreds of years later, it never faded.

C

1:26

The fire was real, and the mark it left is permanent.

C

1:30

The cross-section doesn't prove the fire was small.

C

1:33

It proves the tree lived through it.

C

1:36

There's an old story about a queen who was sad most of the time.

C

1:40

She sought the counsel of a wise man who gave her a silver ring and told her to wear it.

C

1:45

A week later, nothing had changed.

C

1:48

She said to him, Your ring has been of no help.

C

1:52

He said, The help was not wearing the ring, but reading what I engraved inside.

C

1:58

She took the ring off and read, This too shall pass.

C

2:03

Notice what he didn't do.

C

2:04

He didn't tell her the sadness was small.

Yosemite National ParkLandmarkNational park in California
88%1 mention
GumroadCompanyCompany
63%2 mentions
GmailWebsiteWeb site
38%1 mention
World Wide WebEntity
13%1 mention

Trees and ForestsNature
Perspective-TakingPsychology > Emotional Well-Being
Maintaining Hope During CrisisPersonal Development > Resilience > Coping with Adversity
Taking the Next Constructive ActionPersonal Development > Resilience > Coping with Adversity > Maintaining Hope During Crisis
Using Reframing Without Minimizing PainPsychology > Emotional Well-Being > Perspective-Taking
Serious Life ChallengesHealth
Emotional Responses to Trauma and LossHealth > Serious Life Challenges
Validation of Suffering During CrisisHealth > Serious Life Challenges > Emotional Responses to Trauma and Loss
Giant SequoiasNature > Trees and Forests
Fire Scars in Tree RingsNature > Trees and Forests > Giant Sequoias
Growth and Survival After WildfireNature > Trees and Forests > Giant Sequoias > Fire Scars in Tree Rings
Teaching Through ParableReligion > Wisdom Traditions
Impermanence and EnduranceReligion > Wisdom Traditions > Teaching Through Parable
The Reminder That This Too Shall PassReligion > Wisdom Traditions > Teaching Through Parable > Impermanence and Endurance
Emotional Well-BeingPsychology
Coping with AdversityPersonal Development > Resilience
ResiliencePersonal Development
Personal Development
Wisdom TraditionsReligion
Health
Religion
Psychology
Nature

Surviving the Fire and Growing the Next Ring0:31 – 2:59

C

0:31

Damien Girk tells the story of visiting the giant sequoias near Yosemite when he stopped at a cross-section of an old tree displayed in the visitor's center.

C

0:40

Hundreds of rings representing the hundreds of years the tree stood.

C

0:44

Most of the rings were light and even, but one band was dark, several rings in a row pinched and scarred.

C

0:51

The plaque on the display described the year there was a forest fire.

C

0:54

The fire was just a thin, dark band and a long, healthy life.

C

0:59

But I want to be careful here.

C

1:01

If you're in the fire right now, maybe you buried a child.

C

1:05

Maybe you got the diagnosis.

C

1:07

Maybe your finances are troubling.

C

1:10

The last thing you need is someone telling you your pain is a blip.

C

1:14

That isn't wisdom.

C

1:15

That's a comfortable person talking to a burning one.

C

1:19

But looking at the tree again, the dark ring is still there.

C

1:23

Hundreds of years later, it never faded.

C

1:26

The fire was real, and the mark it left is permanent.

C

1:30

The cross-section doesn't prove the fire was small.

C

1:33

It proves the tree lived through it.

C

1:36

There's an old story about a queen who was sad most of the time.

C

1:40

She sought the counsel of a wise man who gave her a silver ring and told her to wear it.

C

1:45

A week later, nothing had changed.

C

1:48

She said to him, Your ring has been of no help.

C

1:52

He said, The help was not wearing the ring, but reading what I engraved inside.

C

1:58

She took the ring off and read, This too shall pass.

C

2:03

Notice what he didn't do.

C

2:04

He didn't tell her the sadness was small.

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