The Lessons of the Bamboo

One of the best tales I have read is that of the bamboo and the grass. Although the bamboo is part of the grass family, many of us cannot look at a bamboo and not think of it as some kind of a tree, weird as it is.

And so it was told that once there was a man who planted bamboo and grass on some land. After only a few days, the grass grew and within the next few weeks and months, the land became verdant. The man was pleased with th grass but quite disappointed with the bamboo which remained the shrub that it was when it was planted. It grew a little over the year but not enough to impress the man. The grass remained vibrant over the years. Then one day, the man would notice that the bamboo has become sturdy and has grown poles so tall and lush with green leaves. The story would conclude that all those time that the bamboo remained a bushy plant, it was actually growing its roots. As soon as it gained ground firmly embedded itself to the earth, there it was ..... a beautiful, sturdy, presence on the a green land. The man was finally happy to see both the grass and the bamboo fully grown on his land.

I have always loved bamboo for its nonchalant charm. The rustling leaves when the wind blows remind me of happier times when life was simple yet fuller. Seeing one allows me to travel back in time when summer was spent with my grandparents at this rustic place where I felt everything was so laid back.... As a child, I didn't want spending time in my mother's hometown but it was to be part of tradition and our escape from the scorching heat of the city..... probably my mother's respite from baby sitting her three grown children. My grandparents had no TV, stereo, or fancy food that we had anytime in the city. Everything we had to eat was food cooked by my grandmother. I would long for the hotdogs and other processed food as well as the sodas and ice cream. We had no toys but played games under the sunny or moonlit skies. I simply hated the laidbackness of provincial life.

But now, I have been given new eyes to view those childhood scenes...... and how I long to go back and once again taste my grandma's steaming rice and simple viand as my cousins and I gathered on her long dining table awaiting our hot meal........ Food was short but we were happy and contented, even competing for more portions of her simple fare. There, we would play hide-and-seek under the big starry skies. The dogs would be our running mates. We were reckless and would jump straight to the river from the bridge whenever we want to take off the heat from our sweaty bodies. Fruits were in abundance and accessible. We would climb trees not simply to get its fruits but just for the thrill of it. I got bruised, cut, hit my head, broke a bone, actually fell from a tree but nothing could deter us from enjoying those simple pleasures. Ah, those were the days..... and if I could only move back the hands of time.......

The bamboo is a gentle reminder of a time of my life long gone.......

About a year ago, our eternally evolving pocket garden was overhauled because of a drainage problem..... My insatiable desire to shake things up in the house came with the renovation of a pocket garden in addition to the drainage work. There were small patches of landscaping work. On two corners of the garden, I wanted bamboo plants or tree or grass....whatever..... My landscaper did as I wished.....

Like in the story, it took about a year until the bamboo would grow. In time, the bamboo would have sturdy poles and leafy growth all over, mostly on top. It actually reached my bedroom window that I would be able to touch its leaves. But there is one problem, only the bamboo on the right corner has really grown how it is supposed to be. The bamboo at the left side remained to be small...sure it grew some leaves but that was about it.

I was bewildered. Those bamboo, although planted apart, exist in similar conditions, and are provided the same care. Why would one grow and the other left behind? I don't understand..... and perhaps I never will...... Months passed and the bamboo that grew continued to develop sprouts which would later become poles. We would be cutting some of the poles to prevent the bamboo from spreading out further in that corner. Still, the other bamboo remained little.... that I would forget about it.......Until recently when my eyes were drawn to the spot where the little bamboo is..... I noticed that it has grown compared to how it was a year ago. The leaves are beginning to come out too.... Could this be the start of its full blooming?

I don't know.....

Nothing is set out or laid out for us. There are no perfect moments....... just opportunities to seize at any given time. And some people and maybe even things can find that opportunity to make things happen. It can be through a gentle nudging or a violent shaking; some provocation or a sudden realization imploring us to act swiftly to seize the moment.

And so it is with my tiny bamboo. My constant rambling must have shaken the earth that holds the tiny bamboo.... Just yesterday, I saw a sprout and what could be the beginning of a pole....

And my bamboo might have finally came to seize its moment... It is its time.... and like any other occurrences in my life, I would learn from it.....

I should not be comparing...... I was thinking these two bamboo are living in similar conditions and expected to get the same outcomes....it is not to be..... How can I missed that even siblings raised in the same home would each have their own unique personalities..... I should just learn to appreciate each one's uniqueness. Besides, we end up frustrated when we fail to get what we expected.

In all things, patience is a virtue. I should keep in mind that answers to our most fervent wishes come at the right time in accordance with God's perfect plan..... I should not be questioning that.

From now on, I will let my tiny bamboo draw into its own strength to deliver its promise..... no rush. I will be patiently waiting for that moment when your sturdy pole with your leafy top will be the view that would greet me as I clear my mind in solitude from my bedroom window.

My bamboo will a constant reminder that hope springs eternal.......
Related Posts:
Bamboo Fiber and Bamboo Bedding
The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter