The Miracle of the Bamboo

The reason
I was just thinking that I have been here in this marvelous place for over a year. I am way behind where I wanted to be and the one thing that has kept me here is this community. A lot of us have had demons to deal with--family battles, money problems, employment difficulties. You name it, we got it and still we march on.

But there is one thing that I have witnessed, we've all witnessed. It's the large number of new folks who come and go without giving it a real shot They just don't understand what they have. There are others who have been around a while and just aren't happy with their progress. I want to tell you a story that might help.

The China man and the bamboo
Several Hundred years ago in the outskirts of Peking there lived an old farmer whose name was Chin Ding. He had farmed all his life but had never made any serious income. He was at his wits end and barely hanging on.

Then one day he purchased some bamboo seeds from an internet marketer. Just regular seeds, not magic. He couldn't wait to get them in the ground. And so he did. He followed all the directions. He weeded, made his furrows, planted, and watered. Perfect.

One year later

For a full year he tended the "crop". He watered and weeded and coaxed hie crop. But nothing came out of the ground. There was just the dirt. He was vexed. Determined, he kept up the care of his young bamboo farm.

Two years and beyond

At the end of the second year, no bamboo. He started cussing. He went back to the fellow who sold him the seeds. He was told to be patient. Bamboo very slow at first. Slow? Slow? I'm starving here. I can't eat another eggroll!

Year three, zero zip, nada. Year four, not a peep from that crazy bamboo. Chin was ready to commit Chinese murder. He'd have to figure that out. This was worse than trying to build a business. He thought those seeds must be dead like doornail.

And then
On the first day of the fifth year, Chin went for a walk through his bamboo dirt. Suddenly there was a deep rumble in the ground. Chin jumped just in time. All over the two acres of his farm bamboo was leaping out of the ground. It was like missiles launching. OMG he said, OMG.

Chin got it

He now understood what had happened. For the first four years the root system was developing. It was laying in the foundation for a long and successful run. He learned the lesson that riches will come, but not overnight. That patience and perseverance will always win the battle.

Hope this helps. We all fight the same battles,

Blessings to us all,
Dick