Blossoming into You … ( 05 / 01 / 2012 )
Blossoming into You … ( 05 / 01 / 2012 )
There was once a great king who had three sons , and he wanted to choose one to be his heir . It was very difficult , because all three were very intelligent , very courageous , and very kind . Unable to choose between the three , he asked a great sage , and the sage suggested an idea … The king went home , gathered his three sons before him , and gave them each one bag of flower seeds . After doing so , he told them that he was going on a pilgrimage and would be away for many years . “ This is a kind of test .” the King said . “ Whosoever protects their seeds best while I am gone will become my heir .” And he departed .
The first son chose to lock his seeds in an iron safe — because when the father returned he wanted to give them back exactly as they were . The second son thought , “ If I lock them up just as my brother has done , these seeds will die .” So he went into the market and sold the seeds and kept the money , thinking , “ When my father comes I will go to the market , purchase new seeds , and give him back better than the first .” The third son looked at his bag of seeds for a moment , smiled , and then went to a bare plot of earth in his father ’ s garden and scattered the seeds all over the place .
After three years , the father returned and gathered his sons before him once again . “ Well my sons , how goes it with your seeds ?” The first son opened his iron safe , and his seeds were all dead , moldy & stinking . The second son rushed out of the room to the market , purchased new seeds , and returned , saying , “ These are your seeds . They are too fresh for planting , but will be soon be just as good as the ones you gave me years ago .” The father sighed and turned to the third son . “ And your seeds ?” he asked . The third son took him back to the back corner of the garden where there were millions of plants blooming , millions of flowers all around . “ These are the seeds you gave me , father ” he said . “ Soon I will collect the seeds from these flowers and give them to you . Right now they are getting ready to be collected .”
The father smiled and with a sense of deep contentment said , “ You are my heir . This is how one should behave with seeds .”
( story source unknown )
Yes , the seed is protected as long as it doesn ’ t bloom . It ’ s hard shell keeps it safe from harm and its small size keeps it hidden from most dangers . And yet if it doesn ’ t choose to bloom , it will die the greater death — the death of a life unfulfilled .
6