Story of a Seedling

Another beautiful Adelaide morning. crisp autumn air brushed against my skin whispering Winter is around the corner. I was on my way to get my daily dose of energy, walking. There my eyes captured this beauty. On Smith Street; hovering over the parking sign. Shouting out to the world, “Hey there can you see me? I am on top of the world.” I stopped on my track with sheer delight. “What a convenient place to plant yourself and grow buddy”, I thought with a smile. There was a patch of thick grass at the bottom of the parking pole. Either the patch of grass planted on top of the pole found its way through the hollow of the pole or the tender breeze has done its job of carrying seedlings and planted it there. Either way it is the least desirable place for grass to grow. May be a tiny patch of soil or dirt, just rainwater to nourish or moisture from the atmosphere, yet against all odds, the grass has conquered its quest for survival. Just amazing.

If you have lived long enough on this beautiful planet; we call home, you know life is not a bed of roses most of the time. life nudges you, pushes you, forces you to adjust, discard your plans, change the course of your direction and sometimes leaves you kicking and screaming. But as human beings, we could push back, start over, find a new venture, tread on the path less travelled. Just like the tiny patch of grass, soaring over, facing the sky. Which allows it to see what the others have never seen or dreamed of before.

Sitting high above victoriously doesn’t mean the journey to the top was a pleasant one. Just imagine, from the bottom of where every other ordinary grass live, climbing to where it was today! It was closer to impossible. But one tiny seedling looked at the rays of sunlight streaming through the dark tunnel and dreamed of being able to see and taste the freedom up there every day. the grassy patch beneath was too crowded. They fought for food and space, couldn’t expand and grow cause the dusty concrete floor surrounded them did not allow them to. They got trampled by the pedestrians, urinated by cats and dogs, kicked, pulled and littered. The grass whined, complained, fought with each other for survival but remained where they were.

Yet, this one seedling who dreamt of sunlight and freedom, decided to climb the dark narrow pole towards the light. Frightened and fragile, not sure what to expect on its path, slowly and painfully it started its ascending. It is said that “do not underestimate the small beginnings in your life”. I wouldn’t say the journey for the tiny seedling was easy. The scorching sun made the iron pole so hot. There was scarcity of food and water, there were times it did not know whether it could survive the next cold night. On top of it, rest of the grass did not like its attempt. They thought the seedling was crazy, trying to be too smart. Its family could not understand why it cannot be happy and do what they do, some mocked at it. Well, sound familiar? Winston Churchill once said, “if you are going through hell, keep going!”. It wasn’t easy or comfortable at all. But what kept the seedling going was it believed its dream was worth fighting for.

Days became nights, nights became weeks and months. After so many sleepless nights, bucket full of tears, sweat and many disapproving, unkind comments and self-doubts; one day, the tiny seedling woke up to the chirping of birds. The world looked different and more beautiful around it. Soft breeze smoothed its aching leaves and broken parts. The seedling looked with awe stuck eyes at the beauty of the nature. The bright sun saluted saying,” hello there good to see you”. Butterflies and birds hovered over the seedling and sang to it. The tiny seedling could see the tops of the cars passing by which sprayed mud at it in the past. They could not hurt it anymore!

The seedling looked down. It could see the patch of grass once it belonged far away. It waved at them shouting, “I am here. come up through the darkness. you can make it”. But they could not hear the seedling. they were too far apart. The seedling felt sad. But looked at its new home with fondness. The place was bit uncomfortable as it wasn’t its natural grounds. But soon the seedling realized with bit of unwavering determination it can adjust and flourish.

And that’s what it did.