HOW TO BE CONTENT AND AT PEACE

A seed perished in the ground. After a while Nature did yield it up and it discovered that it was too small. The waves of the wind shook its tiny leaves.
A few birds set upon uprooting it from the ground. Cows and goats sought to chew it up.
And the little root was filled with fear and bore a grudge towards Nature for not making it large. And this thought filled it with constant pain.
A few days slipped past and it grew in length and breadth. Its leaves were made big and its branches strong. It looked around itself and saw numerous trees laden with fruits and flowers.
“Would that these were mine!” And thus it spread its branches to reach out and grab hold of the fruits and string them around itself.
But it could not do this. It waited and it grew dry.
Then came Spring and flowers bloomed on all its twigs and branches.
Then it sought for fruits. And there came a day when all its branches and twigs were laden with fruit.
Its ignorance dawned upon it, and it repented.
“Alas! What I sought after with such greed was always with me. It came at the appointed time. I did weep in vain. I lost the pleasure of what was before me, yearning always for more. Had I waited and enjoyed whatever came to me, all these things would have come of themselves.”