MY PLANT

Plants have been everywhere around us.  Small, big, flowering, nonflowering, ornamental, fruit-bearing, wood-giving, and the list is never to end.  They are always soothing to the eyes and soul.  Always relaxing and refreshing. Everyone loves plants though not everyone may like gardening, but the beauty of these little saplings cannot go unnoticed.

On one occasion, while returning after completing some task for the day, I noticed a sapling-vendor with lots of saplings in big crate (probably the one which is used for storing apples or fruits) kept on the cycle that he was drawing.  Sweating in the hot sun as it is past mid noon and probably having not had much sales for the day as it was the time when Covid-19 had hit all of us and this poor soul was not spared either.  Not only for the great love I have for plants but also thinking may be my humble purchase could give him some relief at least for that day, I decided to buy few plants from him.  Having inquired about if they would grow well if sunlight is not sufficient, watering etc, I bought two rose plants and a Hibiscus plant.  I did argue with him that I would not prefer buying Hibiscus as it usually needs more space to grow- may not grow in pots as I usually grow plants.  He assured me it would!  He did a hefty marketing for the rose plants too. I was pretty sure for the rose plants as I have bought them before, and they do well in small pots as well.  However, I was not at all hopeful for the Hibiscus but then just took a chance.  Thought if it does not grow, will consider the money as charity.  No loss either way! 

I brought it, planted it, watered it, gave manure (which was an additional purchase from the same vendor) and waited.  Few days and to my surprise buds appeared on the Hibiscus.  On the other hand, the rose plants were dying.  One had already dried up and no hope was left for it, so finally had to be discarded. Now I am left with a Hibiscus that is flowering almost every day and one rose that is drying up.  The leaves of the rose plant are falling off each day and now only the stem that is brown from the top and little green at the bottom just above the soil.

Finally, I decide to discard this rose plant too as no chances of survival seen.  However, the light green shade on the little plant prevents me from throwing it away so heartlessly.  So then giving one more chance the little plant is shifted to a place with more sunlight than previous.  I watered it each day as a ritual though hopelessly and waited for some miracle to happen.  And the miracle did happen.  Small shoots of tender green leaves sprouted, and the plant was restored back to life.  Few days later there are buds and bunches of red roses to my delight.

However, whenever I look back and think of this entire series of events, it does remind me that it teaches you again a simple lesson in life - NOT TO GIVE UP ON HOPE.  It also parts with a lesson that given a chance many of us can create miracles.  It also shows that just like the story of UGLY DUCKLING you do not know which mistaken duck egg may hatch into a swan.  Sometimes what you perceive may just not be true (Like I had no hope for the Hibiscus from the beginning but that was the first one to flower). It is just a matter of time, hope and a second chance.  So, hold on tightly to the rope of hope, wait for the right time and appropriate chance and meanwhile keep doing what should be done.

Regards

SRN