Are you counting apples or seeds?

We can easily count the seeds in an apple, but not possible to count the apples in a seed.

-Unknown

I came across this quote while listening a recorded talk by Dr. Wayne Dyer. Astonished by the truth and the simplest way it conveys the profound thoughts.

We have learned from our childhood about countable nouns and uncountable nouns. But, here is the case where the number of apples becomes uncountable! It throws light on the hidden potential behind small things. A single seed of an apple on planting and harvesting could give us innumerable apples, and their seeds could grow more trees and more apples. It could become an infinite chain! So we cannot count the apples in a seed, but only the seeds in an apple.

What do we focus on? Most of the time, it is the apple in our hand. Seeds are ignored and thrown away. Only the farmer who could grow a tree with it would think about the seeds in another way.

Do we see it in many instances? It is true for all seeds and may be applicable for thoughts, smaller actions, or tasks we do. I agree that we need to focus on what is there in our hands, eat it mindfully, and all other related things. But such things should not undermine the potential of things/thoughts/ideas/people that may not look important now!

Most of the wonderful things made by humans, be it monuments, structures, performances, scientific inventions, technological wonders, or literary gems would have started with one small seed or a thought. It could be a thought in someone’s mind in the blink of an eye. With soil to root on and nourished well with water and nutrients, those seeds could provide fruits to the world. The person with the idea would have labored days and days to get them into reality.

Let us take the example of airplanes, one’s imagination to fly like a bird that resulted in millions of people flying across the countries as if it is our natural right to fly across! Mobile phones and computers, we cannot even imagine how people lived without them! Inventions in the medical field didn’t come from the sky. Most of the celebrated products of today were ridiculed and not believed when expressed initially.

People who succeeded in realizing those dreams, getting their ideas to reality would not play any heeds to the naysayers. They nourished their thoughts by finding suitable conditions and taking desired actions. Those are the toughest things to do. But the question is how many of us would believe in our thoughts and ideas to take the necessary steps to reach those dreams. It is the safest and surest way to survive, to count the seeds in the apple before eating than to imagine and work towards counting apples in the seeds

What are you counting? Do you remember the seeds which you would have discarded from your mind? Are you planning to get them back and nurture them to grow? All seeds may not grow into giant trees. But the shrubs, bushes, plants, and small trees also deserve a place. The earth would not discriminate, it is only humans who do so. Sow the seeds and nurture, without worrying much about the outcome. Let nature decide on it.

—Anitha KC