Beyond the storm!

 

This papaya tree was damaged in a storm with its stem broken five feet above the soil level. In nine months, the stem gave forth three branches, each bearing papayas. Delightful sight and indeed a metaphor!

I have been taking photographs of this papaya tree because of its special feature of bearing branches from a broken stem. 

It was yesterday this sight touched me deeply and made me ponder.  

I have been through a major storm recently connected with my work and felt torn apart by some feedback from people who matter. It took me by surprise and froze me emotionally. 

The sight of this papaya tree yesterday refreshed me immensely. A storm and its consequence is not the final event. Bouncing back to fuller life can be the outcome when one is caught in a storm. 

The stories of disappointment and loss are common during this season of economies strain, job loss and COVID 19 pandemic. But they are only an entrance to a new experience of grater meaning and purpose in life!

All the stormy events in my life, which I recollected after this sight yesterday, were messengers for transition in my life. What followed after the storms in the past was clarity and purpose leading to transition into a new direction, that I would not have normally thought about. 

A shop keeper in our village, who suffered badly from the time of sudden withdrawal of 500 and 1000 rupee notes, which crashed the economic stability two years back, decided to keep the shop open only in the afternoon, as people who visit the shop had declined  considerably. He decided to farm in the morning on his land, which remained uncultivated for a while. He planted banana which gave him good yield. He has had five crops since then, which reduced the financial strain. 

A difficulty is an opportunity and a pointer to a new direction. 

Life is to be lived fully and creatively! The best is yet to come, if pain or loss can become an inspiration to trust the resilient spirit that we are blessed with. 

M.C.Mathew (text and photo)