Close to the Ground

 

During my morning walk, on a beautiful overcast morning, I noticed some beautiful flowers on a plant beside the track. I stopped to admire them. They were bright red hibiscus flowers. One particular flower caught my attention. While there were four on the upper branches of the plant, this one had blossomed right at the bottom, hugging the earth. I crouched to admire this particular flower as it really fascinated me.

 

“Hey there little fellow!” I said to the flower.

“Hello,” it replied.

“You can talk!?” I was taken aback.

“Of course, I can,” it replied. “But tell me, why did you address me as little fellow?”

“Well, because you are small!”

“Funny,” it replied. “An ant just passed this way and greeted me by saying ‘what’s up big fellow’. You see how life is a matter of perspective. You’re big for someone and yet little for someone else!”

I was quiet for a minute.

“What happened?” enquired the flower.

“You got me thinking!”

“It’s good to think about such things. So, tell me, why did you come to me?”

 

“I see most of your friends have blossomed on the top branches. Yet you are here, so close to the ground. Don’t you feel you should have been up there too?” I asked.

“You have a point my friend,” said the flower. “But you see, top or bottom it doesn’t matter. My job is to blossom and make the world a better place. I will do it wherever I get the opportunity. But then, I prefer to stay grounded and as close to my roots as possible. Surely it will only do me good!”

“Ah! A flower without ego!” I exclaimed.

The flower the smiled.

“Alright, I’ll go sit on that bench for a while, this crouching is hurting my knees,” I said.

“Farewell my friend,” said the flower.

I walked away but couldn’t go far. I found a bench near the plant and made myself comfortable there.

 

As I sat and observed the plant, I saw a couple of senior citizens approach the plant. They carefully checked out all the flowers.

“The one at the bottom is lovely, but my love at this age we cannot bend down to pluck it. Let’s just take the one at the top,” the man said to his wife. 

They plucked a couple of flowers off the top branch.

“Excuse me,” I said. “Why are you plucking flowers?”

“It’s for our morning pooja (prayer), son,” replied the man and the couple walked away. 

I looked at the flower at the bottom and it just smiled back.

 

Suddenly, the wind picked up. The clouds were dark and the winds were strong. A thunderstorm was expected soon. As it started to pour, I quickly ran for shelter. There I waited for nearly twenty minutes while it poured cats and dogs. The trees swayed and bowed to the might of the winds. I could not curb my curiosity once it stopped raining and went to check out the plant and the remaining three flowers. When I got to the plant, I saw the ones at the top had not been able to hold on in the strong winds. I searched and found them a few meters away from the plant. To my pleasant surprise, the flower at the bottom was still there.

 

“Hey,” I said. “You survived the storm little fellow!”

“Yes, I did, do you know why?”

“Why?” I enquired

“Because I chose to remain close to my roots and stay grounded!” it said with a smile. “The further away from your roots you go, the more fragile you become. Yes, you grab all the attention when you are at the top, but that also attracts unwanted attention. Doesn’t it? The couple plucked the two flowers because they were at the top and within reach. When the storm came the others were unable to hold on. Being so far from the ground and the roots they were unstable and fragile.”

“True that my friend,” I replied.

“So, remember,” it continued, “if you wish to be happy and have a fulfilling life, stay grounded and never forget your roots. That’s what will help you go the distance.”

“Thank you, my flower friend. I shall remember your golden words forever,” I said and bid adieu to the flower, not sure if I would find the flower there tomorrow. But it had survived that day, it managed to withstand a storm and avoid being plucked, just by being close to the ground.