Dying roots

An old man and his son lived in a cozy countryside home. Their abode was a cozy villa with a beautiful garden attached to the front. The old man's bedroom was on the first floor with the window overlooking the garden. They had an extended porch with a tea table, chairs and a rocking chair. The old man loved his garden and his plants and personally maintained his garden. Every day he would water his plants and regularly add fertilisers and other medicines to the soil. The garden looked beautiful with ample of green and an array of beautifully coloured flowers. His son would help his dad, sometimes, doing the gardening but most of the times the old man was at it alone.

Time passed and the old man could no longer maintain his garden, age caught up with him. One morning he asked his son to join him for tea. The son prepared tea while the old man took seat on his rocking chair. "I can no longer do the gardening myself. But you know how much this garden means to me, so from now I want you to take over the responsibility of this garden", he said to his son while having tea. "Yes dad, I will definitely take over from now", replied his son. The two were happy. Starting from the next day the old man's son started the routine of maintaining the garden.

The old man would always watch his son carefully while his son was gardening. Then came the summer months and there would be days when there wouldn't be enough water for the entire garden. While the old man was adept at rationing the water so that the entire garden gets watered regularly, his son was not so good at it, due to lack of experience. On one such day the old man, sitting on the rocking chair, observed his son watering the plants. He started from one end and proceeded to the other. Water was less that day and he ran out of water with still a few yards remaining. "I will water this section tomorrow", he thought to himself. The next morning, again water was less. He looked at the section that was left dry the day before. Most of the plants had wilted, but one in the corner had not. Subconsciously he decided that, that particular plant required less water. He watered the entire garden again, and again this last patch was left dry. His dad knew this was a mistake but decided to let his son learn from experience. After all experience is the best teacher.

This went on for a few days, the one plant that did not wilt was now taken for granted. He assumed that plant requires less water and started to water it only sparingly. Again the old man noticed this but kept quiet. This went on for many days. Monsoon was now about to set in and it gave the men relief from watering the plants. On a particular day it was very windy and rain was expected soon. Suddenly a gust of strong wind and the plant which had been receiving less water, collapsed. The old man and the son went out to inspect it. They realised that though on the outside the plant looked OK, it's roots had dwindled and were dying. They picked up the plant and walked to their sitting area. They sat on their respective chairs sipping tea. "This plant is not of a good variety I think, it's weak and not capable of withstanding even a slight gust of wind. We need to change this variety and plant something else", the son said to his father. "You are mistaken my son", replied the old man. "I have been observing this for a few days now but wanted you to gain the experience before I give you the lesson", said the old man.

"There is a teaching here son, not just for gardening, but for life. This garden is exactly like the garden of life. Each plant here represents a friendship or a relationship. Just as each plant requires your time and care, so does each relationship in life. Sometimes we take certain people for granted just because they do not express their emotions outside, like the plant that did not wilt. It did not wilt did not mean it did not require water and care, you assumed it did not and yet the fact that you ignored it is so evident, since you did not realise that not a single flower blossomed on a plant that would normally give us a lot of flowers. Just like that some people will not react when you don't give them the due time, attention or love but they do suffer inside. What happens when the suffering is there inside, though not visible outside, is now know to you. Just as our plant was unable to withstand a single gust of wind, such relationships and friendships dont stand the test of time and especially troubled times. They begin to die slowly, a single major problem or difficulty and they collapse. So like each plant, give each relationship the due they deserve. Be more concerned about the roots than what's visible outside, don't let the roots die", said the old man to his son. "You're right dad. I will take this into consideration in this garden and in the garden of life. I will get a new plant and plant it in the place of this one", the son said to his father. "You don't need to do that son. You don't need too many plants, just as you do not need too many people in life. Tell me, what's better, having ten weak plants that can't stand a gust of wind, or two or three strong ones which can stand tall in the worst of storms"? asked the old man. He did not wait for a reply since the answer was obvious and continued, "Without doubt, every friendship, every relationship requires its due time and attention from you. So its not about how many friends or people you have that matters it's about how many true and strong one you have, how many will stand by you, strong in troubled time since you have always cared about them. Quality matters, quantity doesn't", said the old man. His son smiled and thanked his father for this most valuable teaching he had given.