*Fallen Flowers*
Walking is a normal activity. But the beauty of walking is that I see life happening around me. Every morning, I would see an elderly gentleman picking up flowers fallen under a tree and placing them in a basket prepared to visit the temple. His activity was making me curious.
One morning, I saw him again and decided to put my curiosity to rest, about why he picked up fallen flowers while other elderly people pluck fresh flowers.
I asked him, "Sir, I always see you picking up these freshly fallen flowers from the ground. What do you do with them?"
"I offer these flowers at the feet of the deities in the temple at home," he answered very calmly.
This was the first time I had heard something like this. So, I asked him again, "If you don't mind, may I ask why you offer fallen flowers to God when there are so many flowers on the tree?"
_"I help the flowers fulfill their purpose - of being with God in their last days._ They have life too; like us, they also want to be with God in their final days, don't they?" he asked me. I nodded.
Then he said, "Some people pluck buds that have not yet bloomed and some only pluck buds that have just blossomed, not even letting them release their fragrance or live their lives. Everyone takes what is beautiful and takes away the plant's beauty from it. See then, how these plants look - colorless and deserted."
He continued, "Every flower has a purpose, to be with God. While everyone takes the flowers that are still on the plants, I do not choose those. It is not the flowers' fault that they fell off. They also deserve to be with God. You should try it too, it will give you peace and happiness...just as it gives me. I cannot support anyone in this old age, but I can at least help these flowers achieve their goal."
I just nodded, smiled, wished him all the best and kept on walking.
When I was walking , my mind was racing too. With this new inspiration and idea, I decided that I should also try to collect fallen flowers for worship.
I crossed a hibiscus tree and saw some flowers falling under the tree. As I bent down to pick them up, I heard a voice.
"You cannot offer fallen flowers to God," my mother told me inside my head, and again I stopped for a moment.
"God is only looking for your feeling and devotion, so go ahead and pick up," my mind said to my mother. After a few moments of this turmoil, I picked up the flowers and placed them on my palms. As soon as I placed the flowers on my palms, I got goosebumps and my heart began to race. It was a very different kind of love that I was feeling for these flowers inside my body. I brought those flowers home, washed them and put them where they should be, at the feet of the Lord!
The whole experience was just wonderful. _I felt great within. I felt as if I had saved someone's life or helped someone come out of his misery_. I had never felt this kind of satisfaction with flowers ever before. And I think I will continue to do so. *Pick up what has fallen.*
*Moral :*
*In life, we always want to be around good and beautiful people. We want to see ourselves with people who are of our stature And those who are below our stature, we want to see them below us. But, the real satisfaction comes when we help someone, make their life better & help them celebrate abundance of Joy & Happiness - Be it human, animal, bird or any other form of life. So why not flowers? _Fallen followers?_*
…..*”LIFT THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN”*
*& you will feel lifted yourself.*.
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