TAMY TALKS

Many a times, I wonder why God made me. And why He placed me where I am today. Don't get me wrong. I'm not dissatisfied with my life. In fact, I love it. But sometimes, I want more. I want to do more and I can't. So I ask Him "What more can I do in the place You have planted me?". 

Right now, you can see me so tall and majestic but when I was created, I was so tiny that you could fit me in the crevice of your palm. I was a fat round baby. I fell from my mother's body onto the moist, fertile ground and I grew a tail that burrowed into the earth. I  sucked up the water there greedily and soon emerged high up above the ground into a tiny shoot. 

I am Tamy. I bear fruit that is very tasty. People pluck my fruits to use in their curries and chutneys. Do you know who I am?

I have been growing and growing and growing for over decades now. I think I could almost touch the sky. If God is up there, maybe I will get to shake hands with Him one day. But for now, all I desire is to serve Him.

Since God did not give me feet, I cannot move around like the birds that nest in my branches or the squirrels that run up and down my trunk. I watch them and envy their freedom. They have so much to do and can move around like lightning to get it done. Me, all I can do is shake my branches and drop my leaves. 

Once, a poor mendicant came wandering into the forest where I live. He was tired and famished. He stopped under me for some rest. I was glad to be of help in giving him shade. He was grateful and sighed in relief. He opened his bag and brought out a small loaf of bread and a flask of water. 

I felt sorry for him so I dropped one of my fruits at his feet. He looked up with amazement and thanked me. Although my fruit was sour, he savoured it with relish along with his dry piece of bread. What a humble man!

A week later, in the dead of the night, four robbers, fleeing from the policemen, hid in our forest. One of them, seeing a hole in my belly, stuck the bundle of money into it. They were caught and, for almost a week, that money stayed in my belly. 

Then one day, that same mendicant came again and he sat under my shade. I longed to tell him about the money but alas! I have no tongue. How shall I give him that money? I got an idea. 

I popped one of my fruits and the seeds fell on the man. He looked up and I popped another fruit, aiming in such a way that one of the seeds fell into my belly. The man thought a fruit had fallen and put his hand inside - and found the bundle of money. 

Imagine his joy when he opened the bundle! He couldn't believe his eyes. He came up to me and hugged me and thanked me profusely. I was so delighted to be of help. God had shown me how I could help others just where he had planted me. 

So now, I look out for opportunities to help others. Every day, I allow the squirrels to run up and down and they love it. They use my belly to nest their babies. My leaves, when they fall, create excellent mulch which nourishes my babies. I am told even the air I breathe out is good for other animals and humans. 

The tribal people of the forest come to collect my fruit from time to time. I give freely. They also collect the branches that break from my trunk for firewood. Never once have they ever cut my branches. 

I hope that God will allow me to continue to bless the forest and its people and animals for as long as I live. And I pray that some greedy treecutter doesn't come to murder me before that. God made me and only he has the right to take my life from me. Till He does, let me serve Him where He has planted me.