The sapota plant in the backyard

Some 15 years ago we moved to an independent house after living in an apartment for over a decade. Our new house was located far away from the city center, in a quiet area with a village-like charm. It was a small house, with some open area around. All of us were excited, and the first thing we did was to plant several fruit trees, though the space was small. One such tree was a sapota that was planted in a corner behind the house. Our boys were young children, and each day as soon as they got up in the morning would run to inspect and water the plant. Often the sapota plant was a topic of discussion during family time, and everyone was eager to see it flower and produce fruits. My septuagenarian father-in-law during his visits to our house would add further color to our discussion, sharing stories about his childhood days when every house hold in Kerala had many fruit trees.

Time slowly passed, and all in the family became busy in their own world. Our children became busy with their studies and moved to colleges to pursue higher studies. My own office work kept me engaged most of the time and all I did was to glance the poor tree once in a while with a guilty feeling. No one really bothered about the plant, but somehow it seemed to survive the lack of attention. Even in neglect it slowly grew into a healthy strong tree with many branches and soon it started to flower. It bore lots of fruits and once again our attention to the tree was rekindled. Every morning I started to inspect it and even give water though unnecessary. The fruits attracted several birds that chirped and added freshness to the morning hours. Soon our dear sapota tree became a regular discussion topic in the family and our sons were curious to know when they called us from faraway places. In our conversations, I took a special interest in explaining my efforts to ripen them naturally by keeping in paper bags, and describing how sweet the fruits were.

Sometimes I wonder why we humans can’t be like trees. Trees share their precious wealth without discrimination or expecting anything in return. They teach us the value of patience and resilience, and importance of sharing.

vaidyvv@yahoo.co.in