The tree of life ...

I have this very strong tendency of humanizing the things that i see... and i tend to do it more often with trees. There is something about trees that touches the core of my being. Trees in their various shapes and sizes and moods and colors are a fascinating sight and they remain my greatest source of strength and joy ....

When the winds are chilly and when things are not going as well, there is something so eternal and stoic about a bare tree standing amidst the remains of its past waiting for the return of spring.. The old has been relinquished as it bravely and patiently waits in anticipation of the new. It reminds me of a lone warrior battling his horrors in the face of his shattered dreams... It gives me strength and succor and hope and peace ... And as i look at the tree, i am compelled to say that I will wait for the return of spring for i know it always comes for however brief a period it might be. And then, after a long and dry season, patience bears fruit... One sees the first indications of the arrival of spring... you are still not sure because the winds are still strong and chill but somewhere out there on that same bare tree, you see a tiny little leaf peeking out of its folds, as if waking up from a good night's sleep and you know that spring is around the corner. That tree remains a beacon of hope as it heralds the first shades of green that emerge in the barren landscape... Very soon, you know, there will be a new beginning as the new shoots emerge and begin life anew.. and so it shall happen for you as well... Hope abounds !!

And then comes spring... Well, a graduate program and the associated research often does not give one much to feel happy about. Despite the pleasant breeze and the sun playing hide and seek with you in spring, your heart may not always soar with joy when you think of the last experiment which flopped !! At times like this, the blooming gulmohur tree lining the sidewalk and the roads with a red carpet of flowers does fill my heart with joy. It almost makes you feel like destiny special child as you walk on those petals despite not wanting to because there's no way around it... It makes my heart sing as i see the flowers swing from side to side in the gentle morning breeze... It gives me hope when i think of the same tree a few months back devoid of all color, patiently waiting for the return of spring... And, then I have a spring in my step as i stride through the spring outside and return to the lab only to face another flop experiment ... :-)

Life goes on holding on to the tiniest shreds of hope and the joys that come along its way... hoping for a better future but braving through the present and learning from the past...