Every time Rishab and Ria visited the Jhas they got to drink delicious lemon juice. But they did not know the story behind the little tree.
Rishab and Ria enjoyed the lemon juice. It tasted so good. The siblings gulped down the juice and were soon in line for seconds.
How nice the juice tasted - lots of sugar, a dash of salt and a little jeera. Mrs. Jha’s lemon juice tasted like heaven.
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The Jhas were an old couple and a friend of the sibling’s grandparents. Whenever Rishab and Ria visited their grandparents they made it a point to visit the Jhas too.
They knew that Mrs. Jha had a lemon tree, just near the compound wall with some of its branches reaching out onto the other side. It had an interesting story to it. A sapling had sprouted near the wall one day. Mr. Jha, a good gardener, knew it was a lemon sapling and watered it regularly. It grew a little and suddenly it stopped growing. “I wonder if I should cut it off as it is occupying so much space,” he pondered.
He decided to give the plant some more time and constantly worked on it. With time, it grew and became tall and extended its branches to the other side of the compound. The neighbours considered it a nuisance, what with its thorns and leaves falling on their garden.
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Mr. Jha was not put off, he took all this with patience. In course of time, the lemon tree started bearing juicy fruit.
“I make pickles and squash out of it and sometimes I give my friends too,” said Mrs. Jha proudly.
Did the neighbours consider it a nuisance anymore? “No, not at all, in fact the branches that have extended itself to the other side of the compound also bear fruits. No one complains now despite the thorns and everything. Well, who would like to cut down a lemon tree?” said Mrs. Jha wisely. The children agreed.
Rishab and Ria took their leave. They realised that they had a lot to learn from the lemon tree. “Like the lemon tree some people need space and time to grow. We should never come to hasty conclusions and give up on them easily,” said Rishab. Ria nodded in agreement.
“What would have happened if Mr. Jha had given up on the tree or listened to his neighbours and cut it down? It would have been a tragic loss. But Mr. Jha did not lose faith in the lemon tree and it is bearing results. Only a good gardener knows the value of trees. And then, he shared it with people who were against the lemon tree,” said Ria.
“He definitely had every reason to bear a grudge against his neighbours. But Mr. Jha was forgiving. The Jhas were wise enough to know that by not being forgiving can only cause more harm. Their attitude allowed people to come and talk to them. No doubt the lemons had a magical taste, reflecting Mrs. and Mr. Jhas’ sweet nature!” agreed the children.
“So what were the secret ingredients added to it,” pondered Ria. Could it be love, forgiveness and sharing?”
Rishab and Ria had learnt a lot from the lemon tree.