One day, Radish turned to Walnut tree and said, "Hey, Walnut tree, have you noticed how much I've grown? Turnip taught me that aspiration leads to growth. He shared so many lessons with me, and I followed his advice eagerly. Now, I'm even taller than Turnip himself."
Walnut tree smiled meaningfully but said nothing.
Radish, waiting for Walnut tree's approval, continued when he didn’t receive any, "Did you have such aspiration on your journey to growth?" Then, he paused to think, "Walnut tree is bigger and wiser than me, so maybe my question wasn't so wise." He quickly tried to correct himself, "Of course, you've grown a lot and you're the wise guide for this garden. But I’m curious—how did I grow so much in just a month, while I’ve heard it took you years to reach your height? Is that true?" Radish then waited eagerly for any sign of response from Walnut tree.
Walnut tree looked into Radish's anxious eyes, taking a moment to reflect on his words. There was a striking beauty in Radish's innocent gaze and pure white nature, though his words were wandering and uncertain. Walnut tree knew that sharing the full truth would not serve him well, yet simply agreeing would not be without consequences either. Still, the harm of affirmation seemed far smaller than the damage that revealing the whole reality might cause.
So, he applied his wisdom and kindly said, "True aspiration will lead all beings toward growth and perfection in their celestial realms."
Radish didn’t fully grasp the depth of Walnut tree’s words, but he got the reassurance he was seeking. Content with what he had gained, he joyfully danced his way back home.
Walnut tree let out a deep sigh and thought, "I wish there was a way to explain life's realities in a manner that's easy to grasp. Turnip shares his knowledge so freely, but for me, articulating what needs to be said is a real challenge."
He was pondering how to teach essential life lessons in a simple, accessible way. Just then, he noticed Date seed approaching with tear-filled eyes. heartbroken Date seed, upon seeing Walnut tree, exclaimed, "Walnut tree, Turnip says we must have a great deal of aspiration. But I barely have any, which is why I haven’t even sprouted yet. Turnip says Radish thrived because he listened to his advice, and he claims you confirmed that Radish has grown the best. Please, tell me how I can cultivate more aspiration within myself?"
Walnut tree calmly replied, "Why didn't you ask Turnip this question?"
Date seed answered, "Because I chose you as my guide. Turnip isn't my guide!"
Walnut tree then asked, "If I'm your guide, why do Turnip's words affect you so much?"
Date seed replied with a sense of confusion, "I honestly don't know why! I just know that I have a lot of ambition to reach the Sun. Turnip misunderstood me. I am eager to reach the Sun, but I don't know how to channel my aspiration."
Walnut tree asked, "Who has more aspiration, you or Radish?"
Date seed replied, "Turnip says Radish has much more aspiration than I do."
Walnut tree asked again, "How did Turnip come to that conclusion?"
Date seed replied, "Because Radish and Turnip talk a lot about different topics and aspects of life."
Walnut tree then asked, "Do you think that talking a lot is a sign of great aspiration?"
Date seed, feeling a bit calmer after this conversation, answered, "Honestly, I used to think so, but now that I think about it, I realize that you don't talk much, yet you're very wise and knowledgeable. So, talking a lot can't be a sign of growth. The measure of wisdom isn't in talking a lot or a little; it's about speaking with the right balance. Is this a correct understanding?"
Walnut tree said, "Instead of answering that question, let me tell you a story. Listen to this true story carefully and set aside your assumptions."
Date seed, eager to hear the story, leaned in and said, "I'm all ears."
Walnut tree slowly turned his head to gaze at the horizon, as if he was pulling a memory from deep within his mind. It was as if he was revisiting a distant land filled with vibrant colors and lush beauty.
"In a faraway place," he began, "there was an island so green and thriving that people called it the 'Land of Beauty.' One day, a seed on this island awoke. Overflowing with ambition and aspiration, he ventured out, talking with anyone who would listen. The seed learned that the secret to his growth was water. Determined, the seed did everything within his power to absorb and filter as much water as possible.
Years passed, and with dedication and focus on this secret, the seed grew into a magnificent tree, his branches heavy with vibrant blooms. he became famous among the other trees in the garden, eventually becoming the most beloved among them.
Novitesia, as he was called, would often preach about the virtues of water, emphasizing that one should avoid the complications of soil and its struggles. He believed that growth depended entirely on absorbing water and its essential minerals.
But then, one day, the weather changed. A violent storm rolled in, bringing fierce winds, and pounding rain. The first gust tore through the branches, snapping off a bough filled with stunning blossoms. As the storm raged on, more branches started to crack and fall.
Novitesia stood there, helpless as his beautiful branches snapped and fell to the ground. He wept bitterly, feeling the injustice of the storm and his own powerlessness.
As time went by, Novitesia desperately tried to understand why this had happened. Despite all his efforts, no answers came. He often found himself asking, "I thought I had uncovered the secret to growth. I even shared it with others. So why did this happen? What mistake did I make?"
The agony of uncertainty consumed him, until one day, a Parrot came to me, sharing Novitesia's story and asking why he had met such a tragic fate.
I told Parrot, "Oh, Parrot, I don't know why it happened. "
Then she asked me, "But how is it that, despite living a hundred years longer than him, not a single one of your branches has ever broken in the wind? How have you built so much resilience? "
Walnut tree turned to Date seed and asked, "
Date seed, can you guess why Novitesia's branches broke? "
Date seed replied, "How should I know, Walnut Tree! I know you're very strong and resilient, but I never understood why"
The Walnut tree began, "Let me share my secret with you. May your heart be open to receive it! May your ears be ready to listen! And may your spirit be eager to seek wisdom!"
Novitesia had immense ambition to grow, and there's nothing wrong with that. However, he never took into account the Sun's will or what it desired. He also ignored his own capacities and limitations. His ambition drove him to grow rapidly, but he refused to endure the many challenges of the soil, choosing only water to fuel his growth. As a result, he became very beautiful, but never gained true strength or resilience. Novitesia couldn’t bear pain or hardship, always seeking the quickest path to growth. But he failed to realize that this approach wouldn’t bear fruit, and rapid growth isn’t always the wisest path. By focusing all his energy on speed, he sacrificed quality, endurance, and the grounding benefits of the soil. When a plant’s roots are oversaturated with water, it may appear vibrant, but it becomes fragile, lacking the foundation to withstand hardship, and thus, breaks easily.
Date seed asked, "What happened to Novitesia? Did you help him?"
Walnut tree responded, "I didn’t tell him anything directly. Words alone wouldn’t have solved his problem and might have left him feeling hopeless. Instead, I sent a message through the parrot, letting him know that after enduring many hardships, he would eventually find relief."
Date seed asked in amazement, "Why didn’t you help him at all?"
Walnut tree explained,
"Because if I had told him the reason, it might have made him dwell on his mistakes, weakening the strength of his sturdy trunk. If he finds hope in my message, he’ll keep moving forward until he learns to endure soil’s hardships within himself."
Date seed asked again,
"What about you? Didn’t you have a great ambition to grow?"
Walnut tree replied,
"The ambition you speak of isn’t true ambition; it’s expectation. I had no such expectations in my journey of growth. My only desire was to follow the Sun’s will and the gardener’s guidance. If there is a Sun and a gardener to nurture me, I will thrive. If not, I won’t exist. My sole wish on this journey was to follow the Sun’s will. I didn’t have the kind of ambition you're describing; I was patient throughout my growth journey."
Date seed replied,
"Then I should go and tell Radish and Turnip that having ambition isn’t always a good thing. Yes, I should warn them about their big mistake."
Just then, a cold wind blew, swaying the strong branches of Walnut tree. He thought, "It seems another challenge is approaching."
The lesson Walnut tree had shared with Date seed could lead to unexpected consequences, and he knew he needed to be prepared for what might follow.
