Investment of Life

It was the final period of the final day in the college. The class students and their professor huddled together exchanging phone numbers and addresses. They recollected how close they had got over the past three years and also discussed possible ways to meet in the future. Their professor then asked each one of them of what investment they had made during their time in the college, from which they would benefit later in life. He asked them one by one and each replied extravagantly of their achievements or the steps they had taken to achieve their goal some day. Some said that they had studied well, others said they indulged in sports, while also a few of them had taken part in social services, inter college debates and sometimes taking a few additional subjects that were originally not in the curriculum. When there was only boy left, the professor asked him what he had invested. And his reply shocked or rather amused everyone as he replied that he had invested by growing a tree. “What?” The Professor asked in annoyance. “Don’t joke, be serious.” “I am serious sir and I will tell you how. When I started my classes in this college, I planted a small plant which I used to nourish with water every day. I used to take good care of it and protect it from stray animals or any child who would try to uproot it for no reason. It grew and grew until it became a tree that we see in the campus now. It is under this same tree, that we sat and had our lunch daily. It is on the trunk of this same tree, that we drew several figures commemorating the memories of our time in college. It is this same tree on which several birds built their nests and had their off-spring. Many forms of insects too stay on this tree. We stand under this tree to escape the scorching sun as well as heavy rainfall. Today we go our different ways leaving this college only as a memory in our minds. But this tree will remain here for centuries hopefully and also probably give birth to other forms of plant life. So by investing in this tree, I invested in growing life. If all do like me, then today we wouldn’t have the problems of global warming and drastic changes in the climate. I made a true investment with the most valuable currency in this planet; life.” Note: Nature is your mother who gave birth to you and nourished you until you were strong enough. Now it is your time to take care of her with love and affection