“Sacrificing everything for someone is ordinary; Finding someone who respects your sacrifice is extraordinary.” – Naveen Lakkur

Story of The Giving Tree

There was a boy who lived in a hut far away from the busy world. He used to feel lonely. He used to stroll in the open fields and rest under a tree. It slowly became his daily routine. The boy & the tree had become friends. The boy started playing with the tree, talking to it, climbing on it, swinging on it, jumping from it. Both the boy and the tree had developed a strong relationship between them.

One day, the boy said, ‘my dear friend, I am feeling very hungry’. Tree smilingly said “I have an idea! Why don’t you pluck a fruit from my tree and eat it’. The boy was excited, he ate a fruit and loved the taste of it. The tree was very happy that it could fill his friend’s hungry stomach. Now, this became a new routine for the boy. Come to the tree, play with it, eat a fruit and rest under the leafy branches and return to the hut.

One day the boy seemed to be in low spirits, the tree asked him “why are you sad my friend?” and the boy replied, “now that I am growing up, I have the responsibility to earn some money. I am not sure how”. The tree immediately replied, “I have an idea! Why don’t you pluck fruits from my tree and go sell in the market on the other side of the river bank”. The boy got sparked from the idea and started to sell fruits and earned money. This was his new routine and the tree was very happy for the boy. Several years went by and the boy had grown up as a young man.

One day the young man seemed to be thinking and concerned about something. The tree asked him “what’s worrying you?” The man replied “I am getting married and my hut is too small to accommodate a growing family”. The tree immediately responded with great enthusiasm “I am so happy that you are getting married. Don’t worry, I have an idea! Why don’t you cut some branches of this tree and expand your hut”. The young man was thrilled and went on to build a bigger home for himself. Lived happily ever after with his family.

After a long time the man came back to the tree and the tree welcomed his friend. They spent some time together catching up and the tree realized that the young man was now a father, his family had grown and so was his aspirations. The tree asked “what’s your plan for growth?” The man replied, “I plan to shift onshore to the other side where there are many opportunities to grow. But I am helpless, I don’t have a boat to sail”. The tree immediately replied, “I have an idea! Why don’t you cut this tree and make a boat for yourself”. The man went on to cut the tree, made a boat, took his family and sailed…”

While the tree here was selfless in giving and sacrificing everything for someone to make then happy. It did not realize that while it started with a need, it landed up feeding the greed.

If only the tree could have found someone who respected the resources; who had a profound purpose, who could distinguish between the need & the greed; who could think holistically; who does not forget his roots; who made it a habit to share the fruits…

Journeys of Innovation, Intrapreneurship and Entrepreneurship demands many sacrifices. ‘Sacrificing’ is a great quality to be developed. It becomes extraordinary if we find the right people accompanied with these Little Extras, which makes the sacrifices meaningful and sustainable.

We need to realize that we are all transient and we have the responsibility to make this world better than what we got, when we give.

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