The Seed of Greatness

The seeds were arguing.

“I am the seed of beauty,” said the Rose seed.

“No, I am the seed of beauty,” said the Orchid seed, “you are the seed of the finest scent known to mankind.”

“Na-hah” said the Jasmine seed. “I am the seed of the finest scent known to mankind.”

Immediately, the Lavender seed shook her head. “As if! What rubbish! Everyone knows I am the seed of the finest scent known to mankind.”

“I think I can safely say - and no one will argue. I am the seed of mightiness,” said the Oak seed.

“I am like the lion of seeds, the king of the jungle of seeds, if you know what I mean.”

At this, the other seeds paused and thought what a show-off Oak seed was being.

Their thoughts were interrupted by the Sunflower seed, who said, “As for me, of course, I am the seed of happiness.”

“I beg your pardon,” said the Rose seed, “but are sunflowers given out on Valentine’s Day?”

“I beg your pardon, again” said the Cannabis seed, “I think I have better claims than either you, Rose seed, or you, Sunflower seed, to being the seed of happiness.”

“It would be me, actually,” said the Grape seed. “And I have centuries more of happiness delivery to prove it.”

The Weed seed suddenly piped up, “You seeds may think I am good for nothing, but you all may have overlooked something.”

The other seeds paused to listen.

“I am the seed of persistence.  I don’t think anyone would argue that. Grass seed can tell you.”

“More like the seed of pestilence,” thought Grass seed.

Meanwhile, all the Fruit seeds and Vegetable seeds, the Rice seed, and the Nut seeds, the Wheat seed, and the Corn seed, were off to a side, looking on.

“We are not getting a chance to say anything for ourselves,” said the Apple seed.

“Don’t mind them,” said the Olive seed, “We are the seeds of human nourishment and human nutrition…their claims are fluff compared to ours.”

“But I can’t help feel small,” said the Mustard seed; “It seems like physical sustenance is not all that human beings live for.”

Suddenly a voice out of nowhere declared, “Physical sustenance is definitely not all that human beings live for.”

The seeds looked wildly around to find out which seed had said that.

“Who said that?  Show yourself,” said the Oak seed.

“It is I,” said the voice, “I am the Seed of Greatness. I cannot come forward, because I do not have a physical appearance.”

“No physical appearance?” said the Oak seed, “I don't understand what possible purpose you could serve.”

“As I said,”the voice continued in reply,“physical sustenance is not all that human beings live for.

…Beauty and love and freedom and joy and meaning and vision and growth are important to human existence.

…So much so, life is not life to a human being without those things.

...Indeed, a fully fed, clothed, and housed human being may take their life, if those things are missing.”

“Where do you fit into this grand scheme of things?” asked the Oak seed.

To which the voice replied,“When I am planted in a human heart, they are inspired to do great things.

...It doesn’t matter whether they are...

Adult

Child

Woman

Man

Rich

Poor

From a developed country

Underdeveloped country

Able

Differently able

Homosexual

Heterosexual

Bisexual

Sick

Healthy

Christian

Hindu

Muslim

Buddhist

Atheist

Faithful

Faithless

Free

In prison

Winner

Loser

Addict

Sober

...When I am planted in their hearts, they become pure potential.

...And that pure potential can enable them to achieve anything they set their hearts on achieving.

...In fact, without me being planted in their hearts, nothing can be achieved.

...No iphone can be born.

...No Tesla can be born.

...No Mona Lisa can be born.

...It is essential that I first be planted in a human’s heart, for any of those things to happen.

At this, all the other seeds, including the Oak seed, grew silent.

They understood their very existence depended on the Seed of Greatness being planted in a human heart.