Trees are one of the most versatile creations of nature. They are sturdy and at the same time all-serving. Even though in the course of their existence on this earth they encounter difficulties and hardship, yet they do not succumb but spring back to life season after season freshly rejuvenated. This is yet another lesson human beings learn from the tree.
छिन्नोऽपि रोहति तरुः क्षीणोऽप्युपचीयते चन्द्रः ।
इति विमृशन्तस्सन्तः सन्तप्यन्ते न लोकेऽस्मिन् ॥ - सुभाषितरत्नभाण्डागार
chinno'pi rohati taruḥ kṣīno pyupacīyate candrah |
iti vimṛśantassantah santapyante na loke'smin || - subhāṣitaratnabhāņdāgāra
“Even when a tree is cut it rejuvenates with new shoots. So too, the moon comes back to full shape after waning. Similarly, the wise do not let themselves tormented but will persist and bounce back.”
In short, one should persist even in the wake of adversity. The temptation to give up is a common phenomenon. Most do. But the achievers are those who never give up even in the face of difficulty and turmoil. It is a hairline differentiation between those who give up and those who are achievers. Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb, said: “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”
“Try and Try again” is a great motivational statement. T.H.Palmer, publisher and author of school textbooks wrote the famous poem,
“Tis a lesson you should heed,
If at first you don’t succeed,
Try, try again;
Then your courage should appear.
For if you will persevere,
You will conquer, never fear
Try, try again;”
In other words, like the tree or the moon, despite temporary setbacks one should not give up but rebound to normalcy at the earliest. That’s the surest way to achievement in life.
It is the experience of one and all, that success is enjoyed better after a failure than when success comes easily.
Yet again this experience is explained with reference to a tree.
यदेवोपनतं दुःखात् सुखं तद्रसवत्तरम् ।
निर्वाणाय तरुच्छाया तप्तस्य हि विशेषतः || - विक्रमोर्वशीय
vadevopanatam duḥkhat sukham tadrasavattaram|
nirvāṇāya tarucchāyā taptasya hi viśeṣataḥ|| - vikramorvaśīya||
“The pleasure enjoyed by success is greater after a failure. So too the comfort of the shade of a tree is more soothing after being exposed to the scorching sun.”
A thought of this kind lends positivity to our life and helps us not become despondent because of a failure. One should take failure in its stride and positively. We enjoy the taste of a sweet dish because we have tasted bitter. Similarly, we appreciate light because we have experienced darkness. Vice- Versa. Or else we will never. In other words, one should experience the opposites to be able to understand the value of what lies at either end of the spectrum and enjoy.
Thanks for reading and have a good day!