The tree that grows in a rubbish dump

 

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A tree that grows in a rubbish dump does not produce rubbish; it blossoms and produces fruit of its kind. Too often, we believe that our humble beginnings hinder our progress in life. We are each born under different circumstances - different countries, cultures and social standing, but we all have an equal right to aspire higher. 

The fact that your surroundings are not impressive or that you were not born with money does not deny you the right to thrive and grow. We are often the architects of our failure because we focus on the rubbish and use it as a crutch - an excuse to drag ourselves through life. A tree that is planted among rubbish draws whatever nutrients it can from that rubbish and yields produce. Its fruit is as sweet or as sour as similar trees, and it grows to its usual stature. We should take a leaf from that tree and seek out opportunities from within our circumstances. We should use the challenges we face as footstools and ladders to get where we want to go. Unfortunately, many of us do not know where we want to go, or we fear the unknown, so we do not embark on our journey in the first place. We are scared to take risks, and as life has no guarantees, we play it safe and stay on the sidelines, leading mediocre lives.

 

We should not focus on the disappointments, hurts and pains we suffer - they help build our story but will not propel us to the achievement of our destiny. For example, if you don't know your father or you were raised in the ghetto that should not scar you for life.  We have a right to be hurt but not to remain wounded. Our mind is not made for storing rubbish – it is made to enable us to face life challenges and make a difference for ourselves and others.  We should use our stories to inspire others, not to drag us down.

 

There is no excuse, for it's not where we start but our attitude to life. It is about recognising what we have within—our innate talents and abilities coupled with a determination to serve and aspire higher. Every human being, able-bodied or differently-abled has something to offer; we have a mission in life and have to develop the vision to see it through. There is a Spanish proverb: Cría fama y échate a dormir.  Literally it states: Raise fame and lie down to sleep. And what it means is: Your reputation follows you. So, it's about your reputation at the end of the day—the person you become, despite of your humble beginnings or unfavorable situations in which you find yourself. 

 

Despite the challenges we face in life, we should seek to maintain a rubbish-free mind and experience a paradigm shift in our thinking if that's what it takes to pursue our goals. The great men of old— the inventors, activists and scientists were not endowed with everything they wanted. Many of them started in the rubbish, but they recognised that what was within them was greater than what was around them. They believed they could effect change and create impact, even when they consistently failed. We remember their names today, not because of how they started, but rather how they ended. We all have to be grateful to them for the benefits we enjoy today for like the trees, they grew and spread their branches to provide shade and a place for us to rest, even when their roots were grounded in the rubbish dump.

In the workplace

When we are in positions of power, we have the opportunity to impact people and empower them to be their best selves. Whether it be position power, expert power, resource power or personal power, we should not use it to wield authority to the detriment of people. Good leaders inspire and empower. If people in your workspace feel like rubbish, they will not produce the best work for you.   Recognise that every person has the exact basic needs, hurts the same way and has the same dreams to be successful. Irrespective of how much money you have, you still need people to spend it with and indeed to help you make it. Ultimately, it is not your money that will bring you a cup of tea if you should feel faint.

 

Let us, therefore, go forward with a positive attitude, safe in the knowledge that though we may find ourselves navigating rubbish situations, we are not rubbish, and we have no business imbibing the rubbish that we may encounter in our environment. Let us be aware of the needs of others and not let their circumstances hinder us. Indeed, let us be proactive in lifting each other out of any rubbish situations they find themselves in, always aware of our own humanity.

 

Instead of focusing on the rubbish, let us focus inward to manifest outwards the attributes with which we have been endowed and entrusted as custodians to deliver to those we meet and those who may yet traverse our path. In the same spirit, let us take steps to clean up our environment so that those whose lives we touch may have a clean and healthy space to thrive and grow.