BED TIME STORIES - 5 J K SIVAN
GRATITUDE & LOVE - J.K. SIVAN
''Here is a toffee for you Thatha'' offered little Bala with all happiness extending a chocolate bar to him.
''Why this sweet for me my dear little girl?''
''Today I told the students in my class a story you once told and the teacher praised me and gave this sweet''
''Then you should eat it because you earned it?'' said Siva Thatha.
''No Thatha, it is you who told me this story and I just recited it and so this sweet I did not eat and brought for you only''
''My dear children'' , addressed Thatha, seated under the neem tree on his easy chair, to the group of little children surrounding him ''what Bala did is known as ''gratitude''. Let me tell you a story to all of you to know more about ''gratitude''.
'' I am going to recall one such small story I once cherished when I was young and it is deeply buried in my mind. I am therefore easily bringing it out to share with you. Most probably you all know it and would have felt the same way I felt when I was told this first. It is purely born out of sincerety and strengthened by the deep love of one towards the other.
There was an old and huge apple tree, much loved by a little boy who lived in a house nearby. He used to play daily under it, climbed up, ate the apples, and took a nap in its shade. In reciprocation the tree also loved him.
In this story for our easy understanding we have to accept that the tree also was able to speak to the boy as it heard and understood him.
The boy grew up and was no longer playing around or with the tree every day. The old Apple tree missed him.
One day, the boy came to the tree with a sad face.
"Hey my little friend, why you are not seen much, and you do not visit me to play under my shade everyday as before. I liked you and your playing with me.,"
The boy grew up and was no longer playing around or with the tree every day. The old Apple tree missed him.
One day, the boy came to the tree with a sad face.
"Hey my little friend, why you are not seen much, and you do not visit me to play under my shade everyday as before. I liked you and your playing with me.,"
"I am no longer a kid, I don't play around trees anymore. I am sad because I dont have playthings which my friends and other boys have. What can I do, I have no money" said the boy.
"Sorry, my friend. I too don't have money... but you can pick up some of my apples, sell and get the money you need to buy the playthings you desire to have "said the tree.
"Thank you my friend ”. The excited boy climbed the tree, collected a bag full of ripe apples and sold them in the market. He was happy to buy whatever he wanted to play with and did not think any more of the tree. The tree awaited him sadly. Many days have passed by. .
One day, the boy, now grown up as a a young man, returned to the tree again with a sad face.
The loving tree asked ''what is wrong with you. Forget your worries when you are near me. Come and play with me".
"Sorry, no time to play with you. I have to work for my family. We need a house to stay. I dont know how can I manage?”
"Oh. I can’t help you giving money or any other thing to help you own a house my friend, but I suggest you to chop of some of my branches & build your house”
''My good Tree, you are always helpful and kind to me. He chopped off a few branches and carried with him. The tree was glad to observe his happiness unmindful of it having lost some of its branches.
The man, because he is no longer a boy, didn't visit the tree for long and was missed by the old Apple tree. It stood alone disappointed with the boy's absence for long but did not lose the hope that one day he would return.,
On a hot summer day, the man, who was once the boy, returned to the tree, which was delighted. The man was in no cheerful mood.
''How are you my old friend, Shall we play atleast for sometime''
''Look, I am sad and getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. I dont know where will I go for a boat?"
“It should not pose any problem for you. Why dont you cut and use my trunk to build a strong boat. You can sail happily''
''A bright idea my tree''. The happy man cut the tree's trunk and made a boat out of it. He went sailing happily not thinking for even a moment about the tree.
Many years later the man returned to his village. He wished to visit his friend, the Apple tree. He was sad to see the tree, now almost dead with only some old roots buried under the earth keeping it a little alive. He sat near it with tears welling up in his eyes recalling his friendship with the tree and its help spontaneously whenever he was in need of it.
"O my boy. Do you know how happy I am to see you again, but feel sorry I dont have any thing to offer you now, I dont have apples or any branch, leaf or trunk ... what can I do? ''. The man, too was old now. My friend Tree, even if you offered apples I cannot bite. I have no teeth"…
''Oh I regret I have no trunk or branch to offer you a seat at least''.
''I am too old to climb a tree or jump and sit on a branch now"
"I have a few roots buried under the earth, Can you find any use for them to make you happy though they are dying roots?'' .
"Look. I don't need anything now, but a place to rest. I am tired after all these years. I wish to sit by your side for some time, with grateful memories of the past "
"Good! Old tree roots are best to lean on and rest. Come, sit down near me and rest."
The old man sat down on the roots of the tree. Both were glad and smiled lovingly with tears. ''
"Sorry, my friend. I too don't have money... but you can pick up some of my apples, sell and get the money you need to buy the playthings you desire to have "said the tree.
"Thank you my friend ”. The excited boy climbed the tree, collected a bag full of ripe apples and sold them in the market. He was happy to buy whatever he wanted to play with and did not think any more of the tree. The tree awaited him sadly. Many days have passed by. .
One day, the boy, now grown up as a a young man, returned to the tree again with a sad face.
The loving tree asked ''what is wrong with you. Forget your worries when you are near me. Come and play with me".
"Sorry, no time to play with you. I have to work for my family. We need a house to stay. I dont know how can I manage?”
"Oh. I can’t help you giving money or any other thing to help you own a house my friend, but I suggest you to chop of some of my branches & build your house”
''My good Tree, you are always helpful and kind to me. He chopped off a few branches and carried with him. The tree was glad to observe his happiness unmindful of it having lost some of its branches.
The man, because he is no longer a boy, didn't visit the tree for long and was missed by the old Apple tree. It stood alone disappointed with the boy's absence for long but did not lose the hope that one day he would return.,
On a hot summer day, the man, who was once the boy, returned to the tree, which was delighted. The man was in no cheerful mood.
''How are you my old friend, Shall we play atleast for sometime''
''Look, I am sad and getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. I dont know where will I go for a boat?"
“It should not pose any problem for you. Why dont you cut and use my trunk to build a strong boat. You can sail happily''
''A bright idea my tree''. The happy man cut the tree's trunk and made a boat out of it. He went sailing happily not thinking for even a moment about the tree.
Many years later the man returned to his village. He wished to visit his friend, the Apple tree. He was sad to see the tree, now almost dead with only some old roots buried under the earth keeping it a little alive. He sat near it with tears welling up in his eyes recalling his friendship with the tree and its help spontaneously whenever he was in need of it.
"O my boy. Do you know how happy I am to see you again, but feel sorry I dont have any thing to offer you now, I dont have apples or any branch, leaf or trunk ... what can I do? ''. The man, too was old now. My friend Tree, even if you offered apples I cannot bite. I have no teeth"…
''Oh I regret I have no trunk or branch to offer you a seat at least''.
''I am too old to climb a tree or jump and sit on a branch now"
"I have a few roots buried under the earth, Can you find any use for them to make you happy though they are dying roots?'' .
"Look. I don't need anything now, but a place to rest. I am tired after all these years. I wish to sit by your side for some time, with grateful memories of the past "
"Good! Old tree roots are best to lean on and rest. Come, sit down near me and rest."
The old man sat down on the roots of the tree. Both were glad and smiled lovingly with tears. ''
My dear children, what I told you about the Apple tree is not a story but a reflection of a mother's true love for her child without expecting anything in return . God's love is abundant, like a mother for us, unmindful of our ingratitude.
We get entangled in material life, because of our selfishness, unquenchable desire and longing for worldly attractions. We tend to forget Him and reach Him while He is waiting for us with keen interest. We think of Him only when we are helpless and need something or when in some trouble, but He is there always to help us unconditionally like the Apple Tree in the story !. Is it not so!!
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