Wow! It is rainy season once again; freshness, calm
and wetness all around me. The garden looked so refreshing with the lush green
new foliage. Plants with fresh new shoots, huge trees with new leaves on their
old rugged branches, the ground covered with little thriving weeds and all
these just make the place more beautiful than it ever was. Among the tinny
growing plants, there are weeds as well as some good seasonal blooming
plants. These seasonal blooming plants make
their appearance as the rainy season begins and stand strong till winter hits;
they just vanish along with the rain.
Walking a little further into the area where the 'veteran trees' rule I noticed new life around them too. There were tiny mango saplings with just two reddish-brown leaves on them, there was a little cluster of jackfruit saplings, (probably because the entire jackfruit ignored by the owners was sprouting) and Jamun saplings were sprouting all over the place. All this was a feast for the eyes, but there was nothing extraordinary about it, what caught my attention was the breadfruit tree.
The breadfruit is a tropical plant which tastes a
little like potato and seems to be related to the jackfruit. Though it's a
fruit it's mostly consumed as a vegetable when it's raw. The fine crispy fried
slices with a little masala and egg make the mouth water. Yaa! This isn't a
cooking session or a recipe that I want to tell you about. What amazed me is
that new saplings were growing around the breadfruit tree too. Didn't surprise
you right? It's probably because like me you too don't know how the tree
multiplies or propagates. I was surprised because this was the first time I had
seen saplings around the breadfruit tree. All confused and curious I walked to
the only wise old lady in the 200m radius of the tree. I greeted her: Mai!
(i.e. Mother- but word also used to call out to old ladies with respect in
Konkani) and before she could respond I realized I had already blurted out my
doubts and queries. She asked me to sit and asked me about my whereabouts. Looking at the impatience on my face she
dramatically but slowly exclaimed, Breadfruit! It's a very interesting tree. It
grows from the roots, she said. I querulously retorted, how? Why just now and
not all these past years? She patiently continued, the new growth is from the
root, and not just any part of the root. The root must have been perhaps
wounded or obstructed by something. Looking at my confused face and expectant
eyes she continued, when we dig the area where the roots have spread they get
cut or hurt and that's where you will see new growth. I was amazed by the
knowledge of the old lady, but more so by the breadfruit tree.
The breadfruit tree has taught me a new lesson. When
we are hurt or obstructed by someone, something or an episode in our life we
curl up and withdraw ourselves. But this is not the case with the breadfruit
tree, it rises above the pain and injury, and that's when there is new life and
progress. I thanked the old lady with a big smile and returned to admire the breadfruit
tree.
Moral: Rise above the Pain, that's when you will
experience new life and joy. Lessons from nature: Rising above the Pain
