Don't Give Up

A friend sent me this attachment.

"Don't give up.....One day I decided to quit...I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality... I wanted to quit mylife.I went to the woods to have one last talk with God."God", I asked, "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"His answer surprised me..."Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?""Yes", I replied."When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I t ook very good care ofthem.I gave them light.I gave them water.The fern quickly grew from the earth.Its brilliant green covered the floor.Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on thebamboo. He said."In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed.But I would not quit.In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I wouldnot quit." He said."Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Comparedto the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...But just 6months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong andgave it what it needed to survive.I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."He asked me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have beenstruggling, you have actually been growing roots"."I would not quit on the bamboo.I will never quit on you.""Don't compare yourself to others."He said."The bamboo had a different Purpose than the fern.Yet they both make the forest beautiful.""Your time will come", God said to me."You will rise high""How high should I rise?"I asked."How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return."As high as it can?" I questioned."Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."I left the forest and brought back this story.I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.Never, Never, Never Give up."

Besides never giving up, I realised that there are a couple of lessons learnt here.

The first lesson I learnt is that foundation is very important and it takes time. But once the foundation is ready, the sky's the limit. Just like the bamboo who is reaching for the sky while the fern is growing near the ground. Another aspect to note is that building a strong foundation requires lots of patience and effort. A strong base will and can never be built quickly. Understanding the basis of having a strong foundation is the first step to success.

The second lesson is that each being has his/her role to play. Be it at work, at home, with friends or with your partner, there is a role to be played. We just need to do our part to fulfill the purpose of the given role. Be it tough or easy, its a process that all will have to go through. We must look to it as a challenge with every hurdle we meet and we will emerge stronger and better. Looking at the bad side will only make things worse so look at the brighter side and all will succeed.

Don't give up easily so that one can succeed later.