Never Give Up: The Lesson of the Bamboo.

Don’t Judge Your Progress by Someone Else’s Timeline.

ONE DAY I DECIDED TO QUIT
I quit my job, my relationship,…..I wanted to quit my life.

I went to the woods to have one last talk with god.
“God”, I asked,
“Can you give me one good reason not to quit?”.
His answer surprised me…
“Look around”, He said. “Do you see the fern and the bamboo ?”
“Yes”, I replied.
“When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of both of them. I gave them light. I gave them water.
The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor.
Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed.

But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed.
But I did not quit on the bamboo.
The year three and four came and gone, still there was nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit.”

“Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant…But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.
It had spent the five years GROWING ROOTS . Those roots made it strong and made it what it is today. It was one of the worthiest of my creations.

Grow Deep Before You Grow Tall.

Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots. Under the earth. Don’t compare yourself to others.” He said.
“The bamboo had a different Purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful. Your time will come”, God said to me. “You will rise high”.

I left the forest and brought back this story.
Never, Never, Never, Give up.
(Retold)