Stories of human survival don’t seem to affect me as much as those of plants and animals. Perhaps it’s because, in general, I prefer them to people.

Whatever the reason, the story of the Tree That Will Not Be Broken resonated deep within me.

It was the last living thing rescued from the ruins of 9/11. A dozen years later, one mythical pear tree is finally home, and branching out from Ground Zero in mystical ways.

Perhaps it’s because I have a Japanese maple that everybody told me was dead; get rid of it; put in something new to enjoy — but I didn’t.

I left the tree alone for a couple of years, pruned the parts that didn’t grow in that time and since then it has flourished.

Amazing what time and patience can do for the severely damaged.

Sadly, both are in short supply these days — although the damaged are not.

Image credit: Narratively

“Necessity is the mother of invention” is a well-worn truth, but compassion runs it a close second.

And, of course, a good dose of moxie.

Not only is necessity the mother of invention, but mothers are inventors by necessity.

As  Laurie Cronenbold, who just received a patent for a snap-on protective cup that a player can easily remove the moment he leaves the field, said, “Moms solve problems.”

Pam Ryan designed and patented a softball helmet incorporating an enlarged panel for long hair or a ponytail; she licensed it in 1998 and has sold more than a million units.

Barb Chaisson designed a cushioned bandage for girls (and some boys) who wear earrings and play soccer and other sports.

Then there are the entrepreneurs whose compassion drives them to follow their hearts and solve problems.

Two of my favorites are the ball that never dies and a totally new take on the water wheel.

Tim Jahnigen developed a ball that would never wear out, go flat or need a pump out of PopFoam, a hard foam made of ethylene-vinyl acetate similar to the stuff used to make Crocs, that brings undiluted joy to children around the world.

Cynthia Koenig dreamed up the Wello WaterWheel that moves 25 gallons of water at one time eliminating the 25% of their time women in developing countries spend carrying five gallon jugs (42 lbs.) on their heads along with the resulting injuries.

So look around; there’s a lot that needs fixing and some of those fixes could be simmering in your brain.

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Do you have moxie, that invaluable ability to face problems with spirit and courage as opposed to whining or giving up?

Moxie is priceless.

It’s moxie that

• gets you through a bad review—whether you’re giving or receiving it;
• gets you back on the bicycle when you fall off;
• lets you perform when you find yourself on the karaoke stage after too many martinis;
• supports you in (and out) of love;
• keeps you from divorcing your spouse; or
• strangling your kids during summer vacation, or
• jumping off a bridge for a variety of reasons.

Moxie is your life’s foundation.

Moxie has more synonyms than Roget ever dreamed of and most people call it something else.

What do you call your moxie?

Image credit: Britt Selvitelle on flickr