Tomatoes - lessons from nature!

I had brought 1 kg of tomatoes and before I could use any of them, I had to leave for Thane. Hence the tomatoes were left in an open basket in the kitchen. On my return after one week, I found that all but one were good.

I used all of the good ones and they all got consumed in a matter of two days.

The one tomato which had already rotten was left in the basket. Just when I was about to throw in the garbage-bag, I felt that it cannot be left like that. I put that one tomato in the earthern-pot just outside the house where some small flowering plants are already growing.

I had to leave Hyderabad again on some work and told our neighbours to water the plant till I come back.

I came back after one week, and there stands a nice little tomato plant in all its glory! Today it has grown very tall and is bearing small flowers and it is about to bear tomatoes - a lot of them!

This triggered a small conversation in my mind -

While in the basket - all tomatoes to the one that is behaving different and starting to rot - "hey, be like us - we are the good ones - we dont take extra moisture on us and we remain good - and see, we will go to some exotic places very soon "

" may be - but I prefer to do what I want to do - try something different - may be it is already damaging me - I dont care - I have to try different things especially that which appeals to me. I am ready to take the risk "..

All regular tomatoes laugh at this one which is already starting to rot... but no one has noticed the seeds that are germinating in the rotten tomato - even the rotten tomato also did not know its potential, or the fact that it has got the advantage of bearing good seeds in it due to the risk it took in absorbing more moisture...

It could have just landed in the garbage had I not thrown it in the pot - but it was quick to make best of the available situation once it got thrown out of its regular environment - that too hostile environment where all others are "regulars" making the adventurous one feel bad about its risk-taking capability....

Those "regulars" have already been flushed into the deepest drains within two days, though they felt good sitting on top of a salad; on a pizza; as part of chutney; as part of rasam; as part of upma.....

the "different one", "the risk-taker", the "adventurous" one, though felt humiliated and may be even ashamed, is still seeing the sun-light, consuming water and air and giver of life to so many more tomatoes.....

Is there not a lesson for us in this episode?? I feel very good whenever I see this tomato plant and actually I am bowing my head to it as mark of respect for teaching me this valuable lesson! Thank you my dear different tomato! You are the best amongst your lot and giver of life......