The Master, Apprentice And The Bamboo Story

Written by: Daniel Richard

cc Clemson

A Chinese philosopher brought a young apprentice for a walk in his huge garden one afternoon. They were having a discussion regarding the apprentice’s slow progress in his studies.

They walked deeper into the garden and soon settled down for a moment.

The philosopher then said “look around you”, and as the apprentice started to notice his surroundings, he continued with a question “do you see the ferns and the bamboo trees?”

“Yes”, replied the apprentice.

“I planted the fern and bamboo seeds together at the same time.”

The philosopher went on saying, “I watered them, took care of them, and nurtured them from the very first day and so on.

The fern grew quickly from the ground and filled this entire place with it’s beautiful greenery.

A year went by and I had yet to see any signs of the bamboo growing from the earth. But I did not give up.

Another year went by… and another year. Still no sign of anything sprouting out from the ground.

It was only in the beginning of the fourth year when a breakthrough came – I got to see the bamboo trees growing slowly from the ground! However, thirty days later, the bamboo trees still looked insignificant with it’s height as compared to the ferns.

At the hundredth day of that year, the bamboo trees grew at a tremendous rate that made this garden gloriously beautiful as you see here today!”

The philosopher was wise by not giving up watering and caring for the bamboo seeds, which resulted in having a garden that was two times more beautiful with both ferns and bamboo flourishing in the place.

Now given that you were handed the bamboo tree seeds and you went on to plant it. Would you think that it was better to keep on watering even after not seeing any fruits of the labour after reaching the first day of the fourth year – while knowing that another hundred days more and the expected results would show – or stop at that point in time?

The same applies to us as we strive towards our financial liberation.

Here’s the cool part. A bamboo can rise till great heights!

That’s how we should expect our success to be as we grow in this journey.