Once there was an extremely talented apple grower who knew just about everything there was to know about growing apples. She was very happy running her large and prosperous orchard. Then, one day, a great apple-tree blight came across the land which destroyed all of her trees.
The apple grower was forced to look for work on a neighboring farm until she could earn enough money to replace her trees. Based on her reputation as a talented apple grower, she got a high level job as a Tomato Plant Supervisor at a neighboring tomato farm. There she worked very hard, enthusiastically applying her considerable apple growing skills to the tomato plants, but the tomatoes did not thrive.
She was demoted from her high-level job and accepted a low-level job as Assistant Tomato Plant Weeder. Being an Assistant Tomato Plant Weeder wasn’t nearly as enjoyable as running her apple orchard.
Although tomato farming skills didn’t come as naturally to her as apple growing skills, she was determined to learn. She worked hard and learned fast about the unique qualities and requirements of growing tomato plants. As time passed she became a better and better tomato farmer and was even promoted back to the level of Tomato Plant Supervisor!
When she finally earned enough money to re-open her apple orchard, she returned with a new found respect for tomatoes in general, and the tomato farming skills of her neighbor in particular. She even planted a small tomato patch near her orchard to put her newly acquired skills to use.
Years later when a tomato blight spread across the land, she welcomed the tomato farmer onto her orchard with an entry level job, and taught her friend apple growing skills with patience.
This is a great parable, Querci. I know it rings true for me. I grow to be a better and wiser person through some experiences that don't seem to make sense at the time. The good fruit is that I become not only wiser, but also more able to be of service to others.
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