There lived a young farmer who used to grow wheat. After few years of gaining
experience he became over confident on his wheat growing skills and challenged
God.., “My dear God, if you can give me your powers, I would do wonders in
growing the best ever wheat crop in the world”. God became interested to see
what the young farmer would achieve and gave his powers for a year on condition
that the farmer will use his powers only to the extent of wheat cultivation. Farmer
happily returned to his farm and as soon as he started with the new crop, he gave
the crop more than sufficient sunlight, more than required rainfall, most favourable
climatic conditions for the crop to give its best yield with the help of his newly
acquired powers from the God.
As expected by the farmer, the wheat grew double its natural length and also very
thick. Farmer was happy with the outcome. But after close examination he
realized that the crop is not potent, i.e., it has no strength from inside, it has no
taste, it just appears healthy from outside.
The young farmer was disheartened. When asked God, he said to the farmer “Any
living being derives its strength from struggling. You have given the crop all that is
more than required. Adverse conditions like insufficient sunlight, inadequate
rainfall makes the crop struggle for survival. In the due course, it becomes
stronger. Storms and floods test the crop’s mettle. Insects and worms which try to
destroy the crop make it much more powerful. You have deprived the crop all
these things by giving it all the favourable conditions. There is no struggle. How do
you expect it to have the inner strength, the potence that can only come with a
fight, the genuine taste that will only come when the crop is victorious in the battle
for survival?”
Same is the case with human beings. Unless there is a struggle, unless there is a
fight with the adverse conditions there is no internal development. Unlucky are
those whose life is a bed of roses, since they will miss the most important lessons
that life is going to teach, the most important skills that only adverse conditions
can impart.
