Shot by : Keshav Prakash
Edited by : Bardroy Barretto
Growing food (guidance/expert advice): Peter Fernandes
TRANSCRIPT OF THE VIDEO:
Twenty Nine Individuals got planted for germination on 27th Jan.
Two days later, I realized one got left out.
Maybe this little one wished to be a seed for some more time.
So, 28 individuals got sowed on 27th Jan, and the one that got left out, I did soon 3rd February.
Some of the seeds were as tiny as a full stop, some just a little bigger, and very few just big enough to register their shape and size in one glance.
I tell you, they are each their own!
I gave them the same amount of soil, nutrients, water, sunshine, care, tiny pot hugs, good mornings, introduced them to my family members with the same enthusiasm. And I waited.
On the 29th of Jan, nine varieties put out their tiny heads out of the soil, each in varying lengths, widths, shapes, and some in different shades of green. Some such a tiny head, I almost missed it in my first inspection. On the 30th, five more said hello to us. 31st Jan, another six more, 1st Feb, six, and now you know how this goes. One of them (chives) is enjoying the company of the soil so much, that no amount of anything has yet made her want to break out of her seed, and pop out of the soil. I am told that she needs patience.
None of them are displaying any rush or stress, because the one in the next pot sprouted quicker or faster. Nor is the one that sprouted first, gaining anything more than the ones still in the pot. Neither is the sun, wind, water treating each of them differently depending on who came first or who is slow. Somehow each of the seeds seem to know their potential, the right time to sprout into the world, and are allowing for the time, the space, the nutrients and energy that it needs. They also seem to know that they each have a place in the world, no matter what. And even if they do not make it at all, somehow I feel they will be okay with that too, because they know they did give it a fair shot.
Going forward I realized I do have a choice of only sowing that which grows quickly, the individuals that burst forth first on the 29th of Jan, but if I do so, how much lesser will I be without the surrender and patience that comes with Spinach, Amaranth, Dill, Cherry Tomato, Brinjal, Moringa and so many more.
And if I choose just the ones that grow slowly because they bring me patience and surrender, I can’t even imagine losing out on Lettuce, Pak Choi, Romaine, Radish, Rabi, Rocket, who by showing up early, made me celebrate hope, excitement and enthusiasm.
Oh, and the ones that are neither too early nor too late to sprout, how I need them for sanity, because I cannot do hope, excitement and enthusiasm for very long…I need some amount of calmness, balance, consistency and routine that Chinese Cabbage, Okra, Cucumber, bring, before moving into patience and surrender that are to come.
I need them all. All parts of this spectrum. They teach me much.
As I zoom out with this learning, and turn the lens on my life, I realized they teach me how much I thrive on what variety offers, even in the company of loved ones.
I very much need those loved ones, who burst into my life bringing hope, excitement and enthusiasm. Oh, then the ones who bring me the much needed routine-calmness-balance-consistency, and what is life without those who bring patience and surrender.
By signing up for Life, I have signed up for these 29 individuals, and more. This includes Ms. Chives, who’s still to turn up.
Wonder, what she has in store for me!
What an exciting company of individuals enriching my life already, even as I am a month into 2021. I only intend to add more variety this year.
I invite you to reflect and share what this understanding from the 29 individuals bring to you. How much are you enriched by variety in your life? Who makes up your variety, and what roles do they each fulfill? Which individuals are you aching for right now? Have you reached out to them for what they naturally bring to your life?
There is so much more just the germination process of these 29 variety of Individuals seem to teach. If you are a parent, it might bring a different insight, if you are a teacher who works with children it might offer something else, if you are a community organizer, what you get from this might be very valuable too.
Look forward to hearing what our 29 Individuals stirred in each of you.
Thank you for watching, for listening.
nik
So beautiful and well done 🙂
Nature teaches the simplest things, all we need to do is connect with it. Human thinking and strategizing without this groundwork is not grounded.
Deepashri Nidtha Chidambar
Anj
That’s a delightful and insightful video…Thank you?
Anjan Prakash
Thanks sweetheart. Hugggg.?
Veena S
My dearest darling Anj,
It just amazes me how you find meaning to everything around you and it makes me realise every time how we miss out on life, relationship and connection just by not being patient and observing consciously .
The video and the write up inspires me and reaffirms my belief of not giving up very easily on anything in life . Like you rightly said it Could mean so many things so differently to different individuals from varied walks of life. Just the thought and so many perspectives fills my heart with joy ??
Thanks for sharing
(Ps: love the patterns on the floor ☺️)
Anjan Prakash
Hey dearest, I have no idea how I have missed Deepu and your sharing! Extremely sorry for this late response.
I thank you for your beautiful words, for enjoying the video, and for sharing what it brought up for you. Yes, it can mean so much for each of us, in different stages of our life. The world around us is indeed full of lessons.
:)…me too loves the pattern on the floor. Huggg.?
Anne-Marie Daniel
Dear Anjan,
Such important reminders you point out in this creative, nourishing and connecting activity. The first lesson I hear is having patience with one’s self and not getting caught in comparison which is so important to seeing and appreciating one’s own life and capacity to contribute.
Of interest is how you will choose to plant them into the soil to create community? How to leverage mutualisms and symbiotic relationships in general so that the benefits of living in community like protection and nutrient exchange are fully manifested?
Thank you for creating such beauty and depth in this 5 minute connection to Nature and the meaning of life.
Anjan Prakash
Dearest Anne-Marie – thank you for watching, for your beautiful words, and for your sharing.
Yes, the need to step out of comparison and see and acknowledge our own capacity, is what these lovely individuals call out to us.
You ask lovely relevant useful questions – how they become part of the interconnected web, as they become ready for it, brings so many lessons.
Thank you for receiving this with such love and joy. Keeps me nourished.?
Manisha Bhise
Anjan, your writing and for a change this time your video, is always a mesmerising and thoughtful experience for me. Keep pouring in.
Thanks to my parents even I love plants but have only a couple of them planted owing to my society restrictions and some may be due to laziness. But these 29 individuals have certainly given me hope and a burning desire to plant new seeds to help me grow as much as they grow with me.
Anjan Prakash
Hey dearest – thanks so much for watching it. How lovely to hear of your parents’ love for plants. Yes, many societies in Mumbai have such beautiful terrace space that families can come together and grow, but are instead very restrictive. I have faced a couple of such societies and I understand what you mean. But I am so happy that the 29 Individuals have rekindled this love, and may you invite them into your home. Happy growing :). Lots of love.?
Ayla Kiser
My dear Anjan, I watched your beautiful video together with my mom, and I sent it to Aron. First of all, you are glowing and gorgeous. And so are those 29 individuals! They reminded me that everything happens at the right time, and that I am growing on my own time. I don’t need to compare myself to anyone else and worry that I am progressing too slowly. My mom appreciates the beauty of variety — of the different types of individuals and the different times at which they emerged. And she said that when she feels impatient for some results to appear, whether from within herself or from others, she will remember the lesson to be patient.
I cannot wait to hear more about these 29 individuals (especially Ms. Chives)… how they grow and what other lessons and gifts they share with you. 🙂
Anjan Prakash
My dear Ayla – thank you for watching this with your mother (how special), and for sharing it with Aron. Thank you for those lovely words. Thank you for sharing what this brought up for your mother and you. How beautiful. True Ayla, the trust that everything happens at the right time, and no comparison is needed. And like mom shares, to be patient. Hahaha, Ms.Chives, loves the soil and being a seed very much. Sending mom and you green love from Goa.?
Carissa Hickling
Inspiring as always! Both from the life lessons and experiment with the bounty possible from growing vegetables and herbs. I’m looking at what I can germinate here indoors in Germany to be ready for spring in a few months for the balcony… and similarly, what Denzil can do in our wee land in Kalote… and what life lessons we will learn along the way too! 🙂
Anjan Prakash
Thank you dear Carissa – yes, two different biomes, two different soils, and you get to explore both. What fun. Wishing you joy, learning and all that comes with this endeavour. Thank you for sharing, and big love.?
Sandhya Rao
Dear Anjan,
First of all thank you for sharing this perspective of seeing life this way. What clicked me immediately was relationships that exists in our lives and varieties of people as similar to the germinating plants in the pots you showed us. And how we need all of them in our lives, people who bring instant joy and happiness with presence, people who are calm and help us become so by being slow.
Secondly how I could see how I have had all these characteristics as an individual, sometimes given best of the basic needs I couldn’t make anything great, sometimes I made best out of what was offered to me, and how I sprouted soon in different phases and how I lived inside shell for sometime to reflect and didn’t show up for long.
Anjan Prakash
Dearest Sandhya
Beautiful, your sharing. Relating it to your own response to life, such a helpful important analogy. That we have all these in us too, and depending on the situation, our own phase in our life, show up/not show up, like in the germination process. Thoroughly enjoyed this reflection. Big thanks.?
Deepshikha
Tending a garden in your yard is not all different from tending to the garden of your heart. As you said, both require careful attention and patience.
Absolutely wonderful Anjan..???
Anjan Prakash
Thank you dearest Deepshika. How beautiful – `tending to the garden of your heart’ – I love it. Yes, they both require patience and attention.?
Mallika Iyer
Lovely video and beautiful thoughts Anjan. So much we can learn from plants.
Anjan Prakash
Thank you Mallika, for watching and sharing. True, there are such valuable and innumerable lessons and learning from plants, to enrich us so much. ?
Toby Herzlich
Bravo, Anjan! Your first video blog! And what a beautiful garden of individuals you have already growing in this year. So much life! I love the analogy. And of course, while these friends are currently in individual pots with their individual delights and timing, soon they will be an interconnected community of life, food, medicine… and ultimately a part of your own body and within the bones and blood and being of those you love and cook for! I love you, dear Anjan. Keep going! Keep growing!
Anjan Prakash
Dearest Dearest Toby, thank you thank you – for watching, for your ever encouraging words and abundant love. I am so happy you enjoyed it. I totally love what you share – how true, they will soon enter the interconnected community of life, food, medicine, and into my body and those of loved ones. Aaaaaah…such a joy, such a celebration of interdependency! Love you too dear Toby. Thanks for your blessings. ??
Christine Lintott
29 individuals, and each in their own time. Such a lovely perspective, and to notice and to reflect on the teachings of each – similar in some cases, yet unique. And so the rhythms of a cultivated life. May you always notice difference and may you nourish belonging.
So much love – and to see and hear you is wonderful!
Anjan Prakash
Thank you dearest Christine. For watching, for your encouraging loving words. For sharing.
Thanks for your beautiful blessings for me. Sending your family and you abundant green love and hugs.??
Amit Dudani
Lovely Anjan, beautifully articulated. What hit me most was the realisation that we all are different with different traits and qualities. Lot of us, and that includes me, have a tendency to compare or become impatient watching others doing better or getting ahead in life and that may lead to sadness and discontent.
Its important to realize that we all are different and we all will get our time in the sun and we should be happy with what and where we are in life.
Also, we will encounter different personalities in life and each one adds spice and variety to life.
Wonderful Anjan, thanks for sharing
Anjan Prakash
Dearest Amit – thank you. Thank you for watching. Thank you for sharing what this brought up for you. True Amit, indeed these plants teach us that we will all `get our time in the sun’ – how aptly said. I like that very much.
Yes, we will encounter different personalities and they indeed add the spice to our life.
Thank you for your lovely words.