Realizations

Once there was a little seed. It had been sown in the soil by a gardener. The baby seed one day opened its eyes to find that it was germinating! But that day onwards, it started feeling more and more hungry, more and more often.

The soil in the surroundings showered a lot of affection on the little seed, which was now growing into a seedling. The soil would nourish the seedling with plenty of food and water, day after day. The little seedling enjoyed being pampered by the soil too!

As the seedling grew into a plant, it became wiser. It realized that it needed the soil and could not live without it. The plant realized that it owed its existence to the soil. It was not just the food and water that the soil provided, it was also the firm grip that the roots of the plant found in the soil. The soil gave the plant a sense of belonging.

The plant often wished that it could reciprocate the love that the soil showered upon it, although the soil never complained. “One day, when I grow tall and strong like the other trees, I will reciprocate the love given to me by the soil.” – the young plant would often think to itself.

As years passed, the young plant grew into a tall and strong tree. The tree realized that it was exploiting the soil by taking up more and more food and water from it now. The tree would often feel helpless that it could not reciprocate the unconditional love of the soil.

One day, a storm broke out. In the fierce wind and the torrent of rain, the tree got uprooted. Crash! it collapsed to the ground.

As the storm passed, the tree realized that its life was over. It could grow no more! In tears, it said to the soil, “Sorry dear soil, in my entire life I could never reciprocate your unconditional love!”

“What makes you say that dear tree?”, asked the soil, surprised. “What about the leaves you used to shed every autumn! It was those leaves that would replenish me every year, and that is how I could provide you constantly with nourishment! Do you think I would have been able to love you so much if I had not sensed how much you love me? You loved me so much that you did not even realize that you reciprocated my love all your life!”.