It’s not the bamboo, it’s the SEED I

Have you ever heard of the story of the Chinese bamboo? Yes, the one growing 90 feet tall in five years? If yes, it won’t hurt to read about it again. If not, the story was shared by Zig Ziglar, you can look him up online and it goes like this;

The Chinese Bamboo Tree

When the Chinese bamboo tree seed is planted, it needs constant and continuous care for four years. In these four years, it is the job of the farmer, the one in waiting, to water, nurture, and care for it. That simply means, four years of watering, weeding, and everything they do to care for it, to break the ground successfully. With no tangible result in the four years, the seedling breaks the ground in the fifth year.

In this fifth year, this is when everything comes together. The seedling, in just six (6) weeks, grows, and shoots to more than 80 feet in height. Read again, in just six weeks the seedling becomes an 80+ ft tall plant. This means, that the only farmer who will live to see the plant in the end, is the one who waited, working tirelessly in the four years when the seed is still in the ground, hidden, shut, buried in sand to die, and then become.

Why this Plant? 

The Chinese bamboo tree is remarkable and praised for being stronger than steel, acting as an antibacterial agent, and serving as a deodorant, it is also safe for consumption among many other benefits and uses.

This plant is amazing in planting, farming and using so many lessons that have been learnt and shared with so many amazing people in this journey called life. And, these remarkable lessons resonate with anybody who hears the story, is stuck somewhere or just wishes to get somewhere further in goals, dreams, and visions working.

To anyone who hears of this story, the most question, and concern asked and raised is: Did the plant grow to eighty-plus feet in just six weeks? And with this question, lessons are learnt and shared.

Lessons Learnt from the Chinese Bamboo Tree

I will share five lessons in different ways in a table. On one side, the lessons we learn from the journey of the seed itself and the farmer. On the other side, lessons are according to what many of us have heard, understood and worked to become. Again lessons, as learnt, embraced and personalized.

Lessons learnt

Plants Focus	Observers Side
Strong Foundations Matter: During its first four years, the tree develops a robust root system underground to sustain future growth.	Strong Foundations Matter: A vision, a goal, a plan. A strong base is essential for sustaining future growth.
The Seedling’s Development: The bamboo’s early growth as a seedling, though invisible, emphasizes the importance of nurturing and care during the formative stages; initial progress may be slow, but crucial.	Consistent Effort is Key: The focus and consistency in showing up, and doing successfully, no matter how little it is. It is all it takes. Whether losing weight, getting better, becoming or doing better.
Rapid Growth After Preparation: When the bamboo finally shoots up in the fifth year proves that patience leads to remarkable results when the conditions are right.	Patience Pays Off: Wait. Wait. Wait. In patience. You don’t go around going up on the weigh scale everytime. You will get there, give you time.
The versatility of the Plant: Once mature, bamboo serves many purposes, including construction, furniture, food, and more. It takes time to become. the best thing, everything you learn on the way is useful.	A coat of many colours, serves: It is clear, that everything you have, can do, serves. Serve as you become, serve as a seed, serve as a mature plant. This is the right time, to live, and serve as you become. The result is a collection of what was planted, done, sown and chosen during the silent days and months of commitment and surrender.
The Farmer’s Commitment: The farmer’s unwavering dedication, perseverance and commitment to care for the seed understanding and awareness of what is on the other side. That is faith.	Embrace the Journey: The waiting period though should be frustrating, you should never fall into that.

The lessons learnt and shared are summarized to;

Patience, Resilience, Dedication, Adaptability, Foundation, Curiosity, Persistence, Perspective, Faith, Self-Discipline, Gratitude, Hope, Mindfulness, Resourcefulness, Confidence, Vision, Commitment.

And in the end, it is all about the journey. Why? Because, it is about the journey, not just the result. What you sow, you shall reap. And in this case, what you sow care, nurture, you will reap. Remember, it is the journey. You don’t plant the seeds and camp to stare at the earth to see the seedling. You live. Faithfully.The journey through everything that will get you to harvest these more than steel plants.

May the lessons learnt here be a stepping stone to everything you are working out right now.

It’s all in the seed, the post continues here.

Yours, Karah.