18 Nov 25 - The Tree That Keeps Giving

The Tree That Keeps Giving

Walking home from the MRT yesterday, I took a route I hadn't used in a long time. And there it was - a big, old mango tree absolutely laden with fruit. Clusters and clusters of green mangoes hanging heavy on every branch.

I stopped. Really looked. And felt this wave of gratitude wash over me.

How long has this tree been here? How many seasons has it fruited? How many people walk past it every single day without even glancing up? This unassuming tree, working so hard - drawing water from deep in the earth, converting sunlight into sweetness, producing fruit after fruit after fruit.

And here's the irony: during mango season, mangoes are cheap. Abundant. Taken for granted. Yet this tree doesn't stop. It doesn't withhold its gifts because people don't appreciate them enough. It just keeps giving.

Mindfulness asks us: What else are we walking past without seeing?

I found myself thanking the tree. Thanking the sun that feeds it. The rain that waters it. The soil that anchors it. The pollinators that help it fruit. All the elements that conspire to create this one generous tree that provides for anyone who cares to notice.

And then I thought: How many people in our lives are like this tree?

The cleaner who mops the same floors every morning before most of us arrive. The construction worker building in the heat, creating the structures we'll use without remembering their hands. The waitress who refills our water, clears our plates, smiles through exhaustion. The delivery rider racing to meet impossible deadlines so our convenience isn't delayed.

People who keep giving, keep working, keep showing up - even when their contributions are invisible, undervalued, taken for granted. Like mangoes during mango season.

Gratitude isn't just about the big, obvious gifts. It's about learning to see what's always been there. That tree has been fruiting all along. Those people have been contributing all along. Our attention is what changes.

Today, I'm practicing seeing. Really 👀 seeing 👀 . The tree. The cleaner. The worker. The person holding the door. The one who prepared my food. All the quiet generosity that holds our world together.

Maybe they've been there all along, bearing fruit. Maybe we just forgot to look up.

#Mindfulness #Gratitude #Seeing #Appreciation #Unsung #Generosity #ThankYou

🌷 from Linda's desk from www.TulipMeadows.sg 🌷