The joy of nurturing

I had been to Lalbaug with my best friend Koustubh and his mom during the month of January.

Lalbaug is a well known botanical garden in Bangalore. It has a famous glass house which hosts flower shows. It also has an aquarium and a lake, and is one of the tourist attractions in Bangalore.

The flower shows are held there biannually during the Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations and it is a worth watch. I had been hearing this since a long time, but the 6 yrs I was in Bangalore, I had never paid a visit there. So, this time I made it happen and it was a wonderful experience.

Being a Sunday, it was crowded, but we could see all the plants and flowers which were kept in the exhibition. I love plants, especially the ones that bear flowers..

Flowers of different shapes, sizes, colors and fragrances, just like the people in this world with their distinctive features.

I had given a small bamboo plant to Koustubh as it is considered to be a sign of good fortune and in return, I had asked Koustubh to gift me a plant too. We had a nice opportunity to see a variety of plants in Lalbaug and Koustubh bought me 2 small indoor plants. One had only one violet colored flower and another had many pink/baby pink small flowers.

I happily brought them home and started looking after them.

I kept them in the sun in such a place where they would get the sunlight, but wouldn’t be in sunlight for the whole time. They started growing and I was happy with myself. I wanted to induce self-discipline in me. I wanted to test myself and see if I can take care of something as beautiful and fragile as plants. I dutifully watered them everyday. I talked to them and asked them how they are feeling under my protective arms J

It happened once that I did not water them for 2 days. Somehow, I got caught up with work and wasn’t able to come home in time. Those plants grew lifeless and I thought, there I go again. Can’t I even do this much? I cursed myself. I prayed and watered them again without taking a break. If I forgot some day, I told my husband to water them!

Yesterday morning what a sight it was! I saw 3 violet flowers, standing proud in that little earthen pot which I had got from the exhibition.

My happiness knew no bounds. I was jumping like a child. I clicked the pictures of those beautiful violet flowers. I felt a sense of fulfillment and realized that I had nurtured something very fragile, small, which had life, but couldn’t express its thoughts or concerns. It showed development only by bearing flowers. As long as it bears flowers, it is happy and kicking and very much alive. Just like a child.

I am wondering what fun and fulfillment would it be to nurture a real child of flesh and blood and bring it up?