Daily morning tea with my mother is accompanied by discussions ranging from some significant to a lot of trivial topics. What she said this morning is, I think, worth sharing.
Once, when agriculture was not very prevalent, an oblivious shepherd heard of a man who could multiply the grains to umpteen times. He immediately went to the man to witness this miracle and confirm if there was an iota of truth or it was only a rumour. The elated man admitted of being in possession of a power increasing the grains to myriad times. As expected the shepherd, caught in the horns of acute penury, asked him to spill the beans of the trick. But the man recommended that they should try it out in the field near shepherd's residence, so that he could see, believe and learn simultaneously.
The two met on the decided day and the excited shepherd could manage to get two kilogram wheat from somewhere as a test data. He, under the guidance of the man, ploughed, harrowed and prepared the field . The man asked him to throw the seeds in the soil. The wrathful shepherd said, 'Do you think I am a fool? You want me to bury the seeds,which I got after so much persuasion and plea, in the ground?' The man could somehow convince him. After a few restless days, the shepherd's ire know no bounds when he could find grass-like plants, instead of the grains. He immediately took him to the field and said, 'You did all this for this worthless grass that is available in every nook and cranny of this village.' Again the man had to make herculean effort to pursuade him that the end result is going to be fruitful. Eventually they left no stone unturned in protecting the sprouted crops from getting trampled over by the children, the grown crops from the grazing animals and finally the grains of the stalks from the birds. After all this they got a sackful wheat and the shepherd was on cloud nine.
No! it has not ended so don't be in a haste to declare this as what-is-so-special tale (
Picture abhi baaki hai mere dost). Now lets compare this situation analogically with our lives and the wheat with what we intend to achieve. Initially our earnest and industrious efforts might seem to be futile and going in vain(under the ground). But this is what is the seed of our accomplishment, just like the foundation stones of a building, not visible but indispensable. Secondly the preliminary results of our endeavours may not click as a Beginner's Luck and look to be not-so-special (just another patch of grass). But this is what holds the fruits of our labour. Lastly during this complete process there is an urgent and persistant need to protect our efforts and ambitions (crops) from the attack of demotivators, pessimists and I-Can'ts (the beasts and birds).
So lets plough our attitude, harrow our skills, sow the seeds of hard-work,be patient to acknowledge the grass of small appreciations, beware of destructive criticism and fetch a sackful of success.
PS: I did not care (read dare :P) to ask her the source of this analogy.
