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MY DAY IS MADE

 

MY DAY IS MADE

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

03/VII/2024

 

Everyone would like to have a best start to the day. What if your day starts with ‘compliments’?

Yesterday, as my wife and I were taking a stroll after dinner when we met our friends staying across our lane. The lady asked me for some ‘trees’ to plant in her college where she is a professor. It was a compliment that she knew where to look for plants, even at odd hours.

Once we had mentioned to them our way of creating tree saplings. Instead of buying them from a nursery, we were giving it our own personal touch. That is to grow trees from seeds which we obtained from fallen pods and seeds extracted from fruits we consume and throw in trash.

Seeds thus collected are washed and left to dry for a week, then inserted in nursery bags or discarded milk packets. Once they mature, they are transferred to a suitable place or given to a family who promise to care for the plant.

Be that as it may. I promised the lady that plants shall be placed in the garage for her to pick up next morning when she leaves for college. There were three Jamun and one Peepal sapling for her.

What a smile she broke into! Wow! she said, you made my day and thanked me no end. I thanked her instead, for making my day.

There is a doctor who takes a morning walk in our lane with his dog. Most of the times he is carrying her in his lap. We exchange notes on gardening often. He mentioned to me about the way we maintain not only our garden but also the immediate neighbours gardens to our left and right.

“Aap ne to padosion ka ghar bhi ‘Chaman’ bana rakha hai”. Chaman means ‘a garden full of flowers, a flourishing place, or a blooming place. This was the second compliment of the morning.

One neighbour is an NRI and the second one is posted elsewhere and visit once in a while. All Evergreens, Bonsai, Bamboo and Papayas have been planted/placed there. Doc folded his hands and moved on, carrying his Tibetan Apso in his lap.

It was time to water the pots with the sprinkler. Even the trees around the house get a shower. Another morning walker remarked. “Aap ke ghar se nikalte waqt man shant aur hara bhara ho jata hai. Jo thandak aap ke bageechay se nikalti hai vo bejod hai”. With a broad smile, I thanked him with folded hands for the compliment.

My chest swelled with pride & my mind become tranquil. Three compliments in quick succession.

Sowing a tree from seed and distributing them for a better environment gives you such a marvellous feeling.

During my morning walk yesterday, I saw Gulmohar trees coming into bloom. Dry seed pods are hanging and about to fall which will be my next project. The ‘fire in the jungle plant’ will be ‘fire in the colony’ soon.

Can there be a better way to make your day? I wonder!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND
© ® NOEL ELLIS

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