The former U.S. President, John F. Kennedy,
referring to Lyautey, once remarked:
“I once asked my gardener to plant a tree. The
gardener objected that the tree was slow
growing and would not reach maturity for a
hundred years. I replied, “In that a case there
is no time to lose, plant it in the afternoon...”
Chartered Account, New Delhi, 79.
(Supplement)
The growth and development of a nation is likewise
a lengthy affair, and there has to be a tremendous
input at both the individual and national levels
before it finally bursts into blossom and finds the
position of honour and glory that it merits in world
affairs. But to one who points who out that no one
can wait for a national policy to mature if it is going
to take a hundred years, the only answer is: “In that
case, we cannot afford to lose even a single
moment. We must plant our ‘tree’ this very
minute”.
If it takes a mighty tree one hundred years to reach
its full stature, whoever wishes to possess such a
tree has no option but to tend it for that period. If
instead of nurturing it with care and skill, people
come out on to the streets and launch a strike
campaign in the name of trees, or gather in some
open place or march through the streets shouting
slogans about it, they will never possess a single
tree, less own an orchard.
Similarly, you cannot own a house by making
eloquent speeches about the need for one. It would
be the crassest stupidity to do so. Neither can a
nation fortify itself by working miracles only in the
field of politics. In the rarefied world of poetry,
revolution can occur as a result of a mere play on
words. A demagogue can make impassioned
speeches and attract great crowds. But real results
can be achieved only by long-term planning and
continuing and dedicated effort.
Needless to say, the two great virtues which are
indispensable in the struggle are patience and
fortitude.
--Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
( Ref - The Moral Vision)
