The art rediscovering oneself !

Taken from Amma's wisdom.

(Amma rediscovered her farm in Bangalore!")

When Amma came to bangalore, I was still working in the Bank and we lived in the house provided by the Bank. It was a small one bedroom house but made a huge difference to us moving from a very small cramped house to this house. I worked in the Bank till January 1996 and quit the bank in February 1996 and joined the law firm, my wife had already started.

We as a family had steadied the 'house boat' to what can be called an 'OK' living. But when I decided to quit the bank job and join the law firm, my mother and my friends were surprised about my decision and worried that I was abandoning a job which gave us a steady income and was taking a financial risk at the age of 37. They felt that it was not prudent on my part shifting to the law  firm, without any previous experience in the field of law.  It also meant that there would be no more  steady income from the bank that would  likely to cause financial uncertainty. 

My mother however, despite her worry, supported my decision, not by some encouraging words but by cutting down on almost on all the house hold expenses. That was her way of telling me - 'son go ahead, I am with you'.

It turned out that by October 1997' in about two years, I  somehow made it in the law firm and had made a good income from the profession to enable us to move to a bigger flat in an Apartment with 3 bedrooms - almost a penthouse, because the entire terrace of the Apartment opened in front of the bed room on the top floor. This mightily pleased my mother, as much as it pleased  our family.

So, the risk taken by me to change my career had paid off and the financial uncertainty was gone!

The new flat was spacious enough and Amma  felt proud about the progress made by us in the law firm. Amma continued  her routine in the  new flat. Since ours' was the only flat which opened up in front the terrace, we would use the terrace in the evenings to relax.  In  a few days after our arrival in the new flat, Amma suggested to me that we can put up a few plants in pots on the terrace, which would make the terrace look good.


That was the beginning of Amma's 'Terrace Farm'.

We started buying plants and started arranging them on the terrace. In a  matter of six months the terrace started looking green and Amma added lemon plant and flowering plants and plants with some medicinal qualities, about which she knew as a farmer from the village. 

In a matter of few months the terrace was transformed into Amma's mini farm with greenery on the terrace. With each addition the garden became more and more beautiful.

Amma would spend her mornings and evenings tending to  her terrace farm, looking for any weed to be plucked from the pots or taking out the dried leaves from the branches or watering the plants and putting manure to the pots.

It was interesting to watch her being on the terrace tending the plants. She knew each plant on the terrace and would spend time with each one of them and appeared as though she was conversing with them.

The terrace garden became a popular spot for us to spend our evenings or entertain guests for an evening dinner party or for watching the gorgeous sun set. 

Amma rediscovered her farm on the terrace and from that time till she passed away she tended the terrace garden with such care and love, it was as though a love bond between her and each of the plants.

It was some time in January 2002, the lemon plant in the pot had become almost a bush and was full of lemons and Amma kept a meticulous count of them every time she was on the terrace. It looked as though Amma and the lemon tree had become friends.

On the Hindu new year day in April 2002 Amma passed away. Though the rest of the plants continued to be healthy as before,  the lemon tree started shedding its leaves and the lemons and in matter a few days the plant died. I believe that Amma and the lemon tree were so connected that, it appeared as though  the lemon tree shed its leaves and died to express it's grief of losing Amma and wanted to be with her wherever she was and it followed Amma.

Such was her dedication to farming that she rediscovered the farm on the terrace and that her affection for the plants was unstinted and she   never lost love and care for the plants. The farmer in her lived on.....!


I believe that, this story of Amma teaches some simple wisdom.... :

In order to support someone in times of need or change, one need not be verbose or talk and give endless sermons on inspiration, but taking a few actions like Amma did - cutting down the house hold expenses - one can silently but firmly show to the person you want to support that you are on his/her side and always there to fall back upon and depend on for support.

Further, this anecdote also teaches that no matter where you are or where you are placed or shifted in terms of your work or work place or where one is compelled to settled down and  regardless of such situations, one can rediscover himself/herself and  can turn the situation pleasant and to one's advantage - you will be a winner making the person whom you support a winner.


Note:Thanks for reading this story.
It will immensely help me in improving my writing, if you shar your ideas and thoughts  and suggestions about the story and my writing. You may also suggest topics  for my writing. Please feel free to contact me on my email  for all your comments and suggestions.

vdharmraj@ramaavenkatesh.com.