Dayo Akinbode narrates what planting an okra tree taught her about kindness. Credit: Dayo Akinbode
Sometimes, the most beautiful things in our lives begin with a seed we never intended to plant. As I stood in my garden admiring the green okro pods ready for harvest, I smiled. As I looked at the beautiful green pods, my thoughts travelled back several months to a seemingly insignificant encounter with my neighbour, which is the story behind my okra harvest.
Earlier in the year, my neighbour offered me okro seeds to plant, but I declined them. I was not interested in planting okro, and I simply did not see the need. My neighbour, however, went ahead and planted the seeds in my garden. Imagine! So the seeds I declined were now nestled in the soil of my own garden, beginning a journey I had not planned for them.
Those tiny seeds would eventually become flourishing plants that would supply my kitchen with fresh okro for months. I certainly did not imagine that I would one day stand admiring my harvest and reflecting on the deeper meaning of what had happened.
Life has a way of surprising us like that.
As the weeks passed, the plants grew, and I began to appreciate the beauty of watching nature at work. What begins as a tiny, almost insignificant seed gradually transforms into a living plant, reaching towards the light and preparing to produce something useful. And boy, there is something fascinating about harvesting food from your own garden.
Whenever the flowers on the okra plants came – the yellow, hibiscus-like flowers – I knew harvest time was around the corner. Those bright splashes of yellow against the green leaves became a familiar and welcome sight. Each time I saw them, I felt a little excitement, knowing that fresh okro pods would soon appear, and then be ready for harvest.
The bright yellow, hibiscus-like flowers of the okro plant, signalling that harvest time is approaching. Credit: Dayo Akinbode
The process of planting okra is not so different to our lives, too. We plant seeds when we start a business, pursue a dream, learn a new skill, nurture a friendship or encourage someone who is struggling. Sometimes, we see results quickly. At other times, progress appears slow, and we begin to wonder whether anything is happening at all. The absence of an immediate harvest does not necessarily mean that nothing is happening. Sometimes, growth is taking place quietly, beyond what we can see. And occasionally, there are little signs along the way that remind us to keep going, just as those yellow flowers reminded me that my okro harvest was approaching.
As I reflected on this, I found myself thinking again about my neighbour and her simple act of kindness. She offered me something useful, and when I declined, she still found a way to share her gift with me. I wonder whether she imagined how much I would appreciate those plants months later. Whatever her motivation, her act taught me to be kind to people even when they can’t see or appreciate the value. We have all been there, one way or the other.
This also made me wonder how many opportunities we dismiss because we cannot immediately see their value. A friend shares an idea we are not ready to embrace. Someone offers help we think we do not need. A person introduces us to an opportunity that seems unimportant at the time. We wave such opportunities away and move on, unaware of what might have grown from them. Of course, not every offer should be accepted, and we must exercise our judgement. We can learn to remain open to possibilities. Perhaps we can then enjoy the benefits of a decision we did not make ourselves, just as I am with the okra.
Today, I am grateful for my okro harvest, and for my neighbour and her kindness. I am equally grateful for the reminder the okro growth has given me. Kindness can grow, patience can yield rewards, and an unexpected beginning can become a beautiful harvest.
So, as I admire the fruits of my neighbour’s simple gesture, I find myself asking two questions: What seeds are we planting in the lives of others? And what beautiful harvest are we enjoying today because someone once planted a seed for us?
The post Dayo Akinbode: What Planting an Okra Tree Taught Me About Life and Kindness appeared first on BellaNaija – Showcasing Africa to the world. Read today!.
Sometimes, the most beautiful things in our lives begin with a seed we never intended to plant. As I stood in my garden admiring the green okro pods ready for harvest, I smiled. As I looked at the beautiful green pods, my thoughts travelled back several months to a seemingly insignificant encounter with my neighbour,
The post Dayo Akinbode: What Planting an Okra Tree Taught Me About Life and Kindness appeared first on BellaNaija – Showcasing Africa to the world. Read today!. Read More
