Cruel "no" , but really a great sacrifice

Cruel "no" , but   really a great  sacrifice

By

P.R.Ramachander

(Based on the tamil  writing of my face book  friend Sri Guru Moorthi. Thanks are   due to him.)

On the banks   of one   torrential river  ,

There   were  two huge Banyan trees.

Once a sparrow   approached   the first tree.

And asked, “Can I build  a nest on you,

So that  I can lay my eggs and nurture  my kids.”

For some   strange   reason that  Banyan tree  ,

Said , “NO”   and the  poor sparrow   ,

Approached    the other   tree by its side,

And that  tree   with great   joy and grace ,

Told  “By all means , I would enjoy having you.”

 Soon the   rainy  season  started   with all its  fury,

And the river could  not contain  its waters   within its shores,

And there   was  a very huge   flood  and in that flood,

Only the banyan tree  which said   no to the poor   sparrow,

Got uprooted     and started    flowing  in the river  water.

Then the sparrow   thought  , “Great  and deserving  punishment  ,

For the inhospitable  and  cruel     huge  tree “

But  that tree  which was  flowing   in the water   thought,

“My roots  were weak  and I was expecting  this in this  season.,

And  not wanting  the sparrows  kids to get killed , “I said no,”

The great ones  who want   good   to all the world  ,

Do not show   their   goodness  to the world like that banyan tree .

Like many of our relations    who give up all  they have to keep us safe.

Our  in laws who say “no”  and send  us to   a  separate  home after marriage,

And our parents    who sacrifice all  their wealth   to make us happy  are like that.

To many of us , who think   more  about   our own safety and comfort,

It may appear   as if such people   are   cruel and selfish  ,

When they tell us   “No”  to many   of our   wants and requests,

But they are  really Gods who  can think without selfishness,

And    do us    great help   so that   we   are always joyous  and comfortable.