Literature is the mirror of our society – it reflects dynamics of the people and the environment in which they live in. For a keen scholar, literature sometimes is most conspicuous in the ordinary things, and can simply be manifested is our surrounding. However, one must be ready and willing to see how life unfolds within our society, and the lessons deduced from the relationship and interaction of various aspects of the society.
A date palm tree is an embodiment of human life experiences; it’s a classic representation of perseverance in the midst of struggle towards being positively impactful to the society. This tree, viewed from the lens of a keen literature scholar, is a proof that tough times don’t last, but tough people do. Growing in the harshest climatic conditions, date palm trees always deliver a bumper harvest of dates that are a darling to many people. The trunk and stem of this plant are subjected to routine pruning, leaving it scarred, unstable and vulnerable –all this aimed at ensuring it doesn’t lose water, a paramount component for its survival. Eventually, the tree is successful, and the fruits it all strived for are visible to everyone.
Metaphorically, life is a date palm tree. The fact that dates are born through a bruising and laborious process explains why success in life doesn’t come on a silver platter, but rather through a painstaking journey that is characterised by scars, failure and moments of turbulent storms.
Therefore, success and good things in life are epitomised by scars and struggle. Nothing good comes with ease; good things are expensive. Young people have been said to want to get rich quickly because the world today seems to praise wealth, as opposed to means of acquiring wealth. With that regard, next time you come across a date palm tree, pause, observe and learn a lesson or two.
— Photos and text by Polycarp Maina
Photo by Polycarp Maina
