The Fruit of Endeavor

Once upon a time, there was a little boy. He used to sneak into a garden, climb the mango tree, and pluck some mangoes. The gardener would notice it and run after the boy with a stick in his hand. The boy would shriek and giggle with joy while he ran to save his arse. Once he would out run the old gardener, he would sit, panting. Once normal, he would enjoy and eat his mango, laughing on the whole incident. He was totally enjoying eating it. There was some pleasure in eating it after the whole thing.

The gardener had become weak. One day he thought, "After all there's enough mango on the tree. There's no harm in sharing a few with that little boy. Tomorrow it will be a surprise for the boy." And he smiled.

The boy sneaked into the garden again. He couldn't see the gardener anywhere. He went up to the mango tree. To his horror he saw the gardener sitting below the tree, enjoying the soft breeze. The gardener looked up to the boy and smiled. The boy confused and innocent, smiled back at him. The gardener waved his hand as in asking the boy to go ahead. The boy was even more cautious. He stood still. The gardener said, "Fear not my child. You are young, enjoy your youth. Take as much mango as your heart desires, for there is enough for all." and he smiled warmly yet again to the child. The innocent child believed him. And plucked as many as he desired. He smiled back at the gardener and left. The gardener had told him, he was welcome anytime he wanted to come. The boy was delighted.

The boy came eagerly to the garden the next day, smiled at the gardener, plucked some mangoes and went away. It was suddenly so easy for him. It went on for many days.

Suddenly the boy felt dull. There was some fire missing. He felt it. He didn't enjoy the mango the way he used to before. It was happening everyday.

It was easy. It was right there. He wanted it, but still he was getting sick of it. He still wanted it. It sickened him so much that he started loosing his interest in it. He forgot how it tasted. He ate it as if its a routine. Something was still missing.

He thought over it and then he realized: There was some difference. The way he used to get mangoes then and how he gets it now. The pleasure in eating the mango after doing some hard work to get it was different than just getting it like some abundant free thing. The hard work had brought some special taste in the mango. There was some excitement. Taking risk, playing with it, over coming it, being successful and then tasting it. There was some life in it. A challenge.

The young boy was tired of it now. He was sick of eating it. He was sick of it. Challenge is must. To find a challenge, change is must. The boy got up. The change: he went in search of another garden with different fruit and with a younger gardener. It was tougher than before. He played again. And he had enjoyed the fruit even more. The fruit had never tasted better. He was happy again.


ps: Title suggested by Mahi.. Thanks :)