Date Palm Tree

“There are signs all around you. All you need to do is look.” I remembered hearing this a long time ago. But it never made sense. Maybe because all I was ever looking at before was my phone. A text message, a new post, some random video. When was the last time I looked at nature and stopped for a moment to reflect? To learn something, it was trying to teach me? I couldn’t recall any such memory. 

As our car moved along that rough road with the fields beside us, I turned off my phone and focused on what was beyond my car window. It was almost sunset and strong winds were swaying all crops in every direction they wanted. We entered a field where there were date palm trees planted all across. They were majestic and fierce, standing firm despite the stormy winds. “A believer is like the date palm tree.” A sentence flashed by my mind. What was it that the date palm trees had that I could learn? What traits could a tree possibly teach me? How did it resemble a believer or how one should be? 

The date palm tree standing before me was firm, steadfast in the face of strong winds. Just like a believer should be in the face of all trials throughout life, I thought. The tree was tall with its branches hanging low, bearing fruits for all. It was pleasing to look at and gave people around it succulent dates to eat. With branches long and equal, it was evergreen; providing shade to everyone who was seeking it. It was beneficial whether dead or alive. So this is how one should be? Always being beneficial for those around us, spreading goodness in life and leaving traces of it even after death? A person of all goodness and an abundance of noble manners, consistent in worship, obedience and good deeds? Standing tall with a firm personality but bending over with humility? Just like the tree was pleasing to look at, one is supposed to be charming in speech and conduct and become the coolness of other peoples’ eyes? Beautiful.

I continued to watch as people around threw pebbles at the tree. In response, it sent down fruits teaching me another valuable lesson. When abuses are hurled at you, you respond in the best possible way that isn’t lowly or demeaning. But how could a person be this firm in good conduct? What was happening behind the scenes? Where was the strength coming from? And then it occurred to me. The roots. Deep, extensively spread and nurtured for years. It had taken a lot of time in growing, learning and adapting to all the changes around it. A person cannot just wake up one day and achieve it all. It takes time. The stronger the roots of faith, the firmer the conduct in life. The greater the motivation to do something worthwhile.

And just then the real life lesson hit me. The date palm trees didn’t need a forest to grow in, they were resourceful enough to survive alone. Similarly, can’t we? We have resources and limitless potential. With our roots growing deeper and our shoots aiming higher, can’t we make a change around us regardless of our surroundings? Maybe we can if we try.

By Shahba Hassan

Edited by SSC Team Publications.