The miracle of the little cauliflower plant

     Having enjoyed gardening this summer, here is the miracle of the cauliflower plant. Its interesting that the Bible starts with GOD creating man and a woman in the garden of Eden. And just before Jesus is captured, he spends time in the garden of Gethsamane. And he tells a number of parables regarding the seeds, trees, the farmers, etc. Its safe to assume that garden is a place where one may find GOD and his deeds. For real? I did.

     Nearly 45 days ago, I visited the Home Depot garden center looking for plants for our garden. And I decided to test out the cauliflower plants. So, I picked out a set of 6 plants with 4 leaves each. A couple of days later, I prepared pots and started transferring them into 6 pots. Then, I realized that one of them was broken right at the tip. All that was left of it was the roots and a single leaf.  I could well have thrown it away and been happy with 5 cauliflowers this year. But, then I would have missed out on a lifetime miracle. So, I planted the broken plant thinking that in a few days it would just rot and I would just put in another plant. Days passed and the other 5 plants grew bigger. The 4 little leaves wilted and dried as they had bigger and newer leaves and I waited for the cauliflowers. A week ago I saw the little cauliflower in all the 5 good plants. I felt great. Then, I looked for the little cauliflower plant and I still found that one leaf standing firm. That plant had lived for nearly 40 days and I continued to water and care for it the same way I did for others. Many a time, I did think about throwing it away. I knew that there was no hope for any cauliflower. The tip had broken. There was no chance for this plant. But, somehow, I never got down to pulling it out and throwing it away. And the plant with that little leaf just refused to die away on its own either.

     Well, July 9^th was approaching. Little Claire’s birthday was close. And we were also celebrating my dad’s secret 75^th birthday. We had planned a little party and I had to welcome guests. I needed a theme for my welcome. I was not getting it. So, on July 7^th, I walked around in the garden and I was rearranging my pots. And I came to the little plant in the pot. Before I saw it, I planned to throw away everything that was not good because I wanted the garden to look pretty for the party. So, this time I was determined that this little plant should go. And then I looked into the pot. And there I found my miracle.

     What I found were 4 little cauliflower plants emerging out from the soil. There was no chance this could have happened. I am a botanist by the way. So, I know my science too. A cauliflower plant can only have one cauliflower. And it grows from the tip. I was so ecstatic. I showed my little kids and they were amazed. And we talked about what it meant. That’s when I realized the beauty of the miracle and the gardens in the bible. I drew many conclusions. The one I used in the party was that the little leaf represented my father. His 75 yrs, where many a time he was a lonely leaf. But, he had hung on. And then his perseverance had taken fruit. And we were now celebrating his 75^th birthday with his lovely grand kids.

     But, I want to go beyond it. The little plant represented our faiths too sometimes. They are tiny and shaky, sometimes completely insignificant. But, if we hang on, look how GOD, the gardener tends to us. He gives fruits aplenty. This little plant also represents each of our lives too. Sometimes, we are the leaf and somebody else is the gardener who tends to us, keeps us alive. Sometimes, we need to be the gardener for somebody else who is hanging on.  Frankly, its been 3 days since I realized this miracle in my garden. But, there is one reality that I just can’t stop admiring. That little leaf. It kept that plant going. It didn’t fade away, no matter what. This story will live on forever in me. But, I want to share it with as many people I can. Because we all need miracles. And we don’t realize many a time that they don’t happen anymore. They do. They are probably right out there in the garden. And I am looking for the next one. Are you?