Bloom Where You Are Planted: A Father's Timeless Lesson to His Son

Sriranga VN
Jul 23, 2025
3 min read

Bloom wherever your planted..Saami!

Chinnasami, slowly sauntered into the gazebo. He felt bit sick. Amma had scolded him for asking for an electronic tablet.

Sami had seen that wealthy Govindu fiddling away on his tab in the class. Govindu had proudly shown off his glistening tab, inviting all to watch a movie on his new-fangled tab screen. He had derisively remarked, Sami, "see the world in the tab, not in ur books". "You need new technologies to grow in life", Sami, he had said. "Dont be a frog in your farm", Govindu remarked, sarcasm dripping.....

Chinnasami tried bargining for a tab with his amma, but she had butted him with words and shoeed him away.

Now, Chinnasami plonked on his fav tree stump bench near the gazebo, as he watched a squirrel saunter along with a nut in its mouth. A sparrow was trying out a new technique to build a nest, with its chicks watching carefully learning. The grasshopper and the bettle danced to catch the insects. A leaf swirled and slowly fell from roof of tree in slow motion. The soil smelled of freshly growing seeds, moist n laden with fertility. Chinnasami literally felt plants growing inch by inch, happy to do what they were meant to do....

Saaami, he heard his dad call, as he came searching for him. Appa, saami ran to hug his dad. Appa was a great man in the eyes of Saami, the country doctor who everybody looked up-to in respect and awe.

Saami loved Appa, bcoz he always told great stories, as he taught him secrets of life, inspiring him to learn n grow. Sami, Appa smiled, "You look bit down and worried", he remarked.

Appa, I want a Tab urgent, Chinnasami blurted. "Govindu is making fun of me, bcoz i know nothing of tech except reading same old books..."

Saami, "come", his father held his hand and calmly, lovingly walked him to the farthest portion of the farm. The land was bit dry, slopy, loamy and had garnled drying bushes. They walked slowly, watching the interplay of shadows from high trees. The ground crunched underneath as an army of black ant twined their way in unison searching for food. Bees twirled, buzzing, injecting pollen into plants and exchanging honey for it.

Chinna, "look", Appa pointed. Saami looked at the farthest fence. It was laden with white, heavy, huge pumpkins hanging partly from the fence and partly saddled to the ground. It was like an oasis of greenery in middle of dry desert of bushes, weeds and sunbaked soil. The sudden change, the huge pumpkins and yellow bright flowers were a blob of myraid colours and greens, in middle of emptiness.

Oh! Chinnasami exclaimed. What a beautiful sight! "God has really painted vivid colors in midst of thorns, bushes", he exclaimed.

Yes, Appa said, "bloom where you are planted". "The pumpkin seed did not ask for better place to bloom. It just did, what it was meant to do. And see the result"...."it is magnificent when you bloom, where your planted, irrespective of everything else"

Chaammi, Appa said, "like the pumpkin seed, bloom, where you are planted". "Dont ask to be placed elsewhere, dont ask for tablets, etc. Bloom with the books you have. Learn, grow, bloom with what's available and make an impact like the pumpkin plant. And when God wants, he will give you a tablet, a laptop or take you to 100 countries-sojourn. But, till then, bloom where your planted and prove to God, you are capable of blooming in harshest conditions and spreading your beauty. Then only, God will give you opportunities, which you would not have even dreamt about", Appa said in his soft voice.

Yes, Appa, I understood, Chinnasami said with tears. Appa hugged Chinna, lifted him up his shoulders and said, "life is game, play it as it comes".

Now saami, Appa said, "lets check out the red cherries, scare the kittens, and surprise the lazy Mylo sleeping on the benches.....Life's fun....each day an adventure...