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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