I was walking in the garden and enjoying the fresh morning breeze filled with the fragrance of roses and snapdragons; some rose petals fell on my feet and I collected them with care and joy as if it was a fist good omen of the day. I collected many falling rose petals along with some withered roses; they were as soft and sweet as new borns cheeks. But I got astonished by two things ; some pink roses were flaunting their full bloom while few were yet struggling to come out from buds; My heart whispered “some bloom early, some bloom late ;this is what is called fate.
Some of us get paid off for their hard work soon while some have to go through trials and tribulations before they can bloom. For those who smilingly strive and patiently wait, destiny opens a wonderful gate. Another thing that astonished me was that few fresh roses had fallen on ground while dead roses were still connected to their stem; To this my heart whispered, isn’t this what we experience in our life; some healthy people die; while some critically ill survive; some successful business empires fall while some decaying arts revive. There are the magic hands behind the scene at play.
The petals on ground are a lesson that no matter how beautiful a flower is; it will wither. No matter how beautiful, smart and successful we are; we will die and wither. The most beautiful and the ugliest; the most wise and most stupid; the wealthiest and the poorest of the poor all will be wrapped in a same shroud; there is no brand in shroud and coffin.
I took all the petals in my hands and put them in a bowl on my table. I sprinkled water on those petals with great love and care with the hope that I can preserve them atleast for someday. I knew that watering them will yield nothing then I realised the silent message that once our loved ones are alive we take them forgranted but once we lose them we start preserving their memories; we put on their photo frames ; which yield nothing; if we show the love, care, respect and attention to our loved ones once they are with us ; it would mark a significant difference; Undoubtedly, watering the flowers won’t make them immortal; they will still wither and die so will our loved ones; but it will make the time they are alive the beautiful and meaningful; they will bloom before they die ; they won’t die a painful death; they will die with the smile on their faces that they were loved and cared when they needed.
Conclusion: Everyone can water beautiful and fragrant flowers. Be the one who equally water the wild flowers with no fragrance or beauty…. Everybody can care for a parent who has bounties to offer but be the one who cares for a parent when he has no penny in his pocket and bitterness of old age in his tongue. Don’t water the withered Flowers. Water them when they need it most. Everybody is appreciated after death. Be the one who appreciates and make others feel valued once they are alive.
(Author is a research scholar pursuing PhD in psychology and can be reached at [email protected])
