The Moral Vision
Planting the Tree of the Nation
~ 59 ~
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.
