THE TREE
I was
talking to a gentleman, this afternoon. He came from a Punjabi business-family
which had done well for itself. “My father believed in giving love, care and
financial support to his children, but he never wanted to remain dependent on
them;” he said, “like a tree, he only gave us… even in his death!”
“Even in his death?” I was curious…
“A tree comes from a tiny seed, often, accidentally dropped by someone
or a squirrel,” the gentleman explained, “It germinates under the ground… it
sprouts and becomes a sapling… becomes a tree, and, before it bears fruits, it
bends… It gives us oxygen, even though it takes in all the carbons we breathe out
… It gives us shade… manure… dry leaves and dry-wood from its branches… and,
even when it dies, its leaves behind wood for our use… For whole life, the tree
only gives and expects nothing from us.”
And we?
“I have only given to my two sons just the way our father gave us…
expecting nothing back in return,” the gentleman said, “Hope, they will find me
useful in my death, too!”
Greed and
lack of trust bring man’s downfall. “What is there in it, for me?” Yes, this
seems to be the bottom line, “What is my
gain?”
Like the birth of a tree, we too have been able to take our birth only because
the Universe has been kind to us. And, we still covet more… We are still greedy…
Even when a tree gives us fruits, it bends… it doesn’t brag…
And we?
GERALD D’CUNHA
Pic.: Anil Bedi
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