Many people think that strength comes from being hard and resistant to change.
But if you look at things that are incredibly hard, you find that that same hardness is a weakness.
Take diamonds for instance. They are the hardest substance on earth. But if you hit one just right, a small amount of force can sheer it.
Simple steel is just a mixture of iron and carbon, and it is incredibly hard. But the best steels have other elements added that add toughness and reduce brittleness. And when a knife–or sword–is forged it is heat treated to make it hard, but then treated again to reduce the hardness and make it more flexible.
Real strength doesn’t just come from being hard, but being hard without being brittle.
dandelion
children lofting through
summered skies, hope for purchase
future dandelion
