"Be careful what you plant, for the seeds you sow today will shape the garden of your future."
This proverb reminds us that our actions, choices, and attitudes are like seeds. What we nurture—whether positive or negative—will eventually bear fruit. If we plant kindness, patience, and integrity, our lives will bloom with peace and fulfillment. But if we plant bitterness, selfishness, or resentment, we may harvest conflict and regret.
Much like in nature, the seeds of our behavior take time to grow, but they always reflect what we planted. So, it’s important to be mindful of what we invest in our lives and in others.
This proverb reminds us that our actions, choices, and attitudes are like seeds. What we nurture—whether positive or negative—will eventually bear fruit. If we plant kindness, patience, and integrity, our lives will bloom with peace and fulfillment. But if we plant bitterness, selfishness, or resentment, we may harvest conflict and regret.
Much like in nature, the seeds of our behavior take time to grow, but they always reflect what we planted. So, it’s important to be mindful of what we invest in our lives and in others.
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PeopleTranscript
00:00In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
00:05An emperor in the far east was growing old and knew it was time to choose his successor.
00:12Instead of choosing one of his assistants or his children, he decided something different.
00:18He called young people in the kingdom together one day.
00:21He said it is time for me to step down and choose the next emperor.
00:26I have decided to choose one of you.
00:28The kids were shocked but the emperor continued,
00:31I am going to give each one of you a seed today, one very special seed.
00:37I want you to plant the seed, water it and come back here after one year from today
00:43with what you have grown from this one seed.
00:47I will then join the plants that you bring and the one I choose will be the next emperor.
00:54One boy named Ling was there that day and he like the others received a seed.
01:00He went home and excitedly told his mother the story.
01:05She helped him get a pot and planting soil and he planted the seed and watered it carefully.
01:12Every day he would water it and watch to see if it had grown.
01:17After about three weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about their seeds
01:22and the plants that were beginning to grow.
01:25Ling kept checking his seed but nothing ever grew.
01:29Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing.
01:33While now others were talking about their plants but Ling didn't have a plant
01:40and he felt like a failure.
01:42Six months went by, still nothing in Ling's pot.
01:46He just knew he had killed his seed.
01:48Everyone else had trees and tall plants but he had nothing.
01:53Ling didn't say anything to his friends.
01:56However, he just kept waiting for his seed to grow.
02:00A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their plants to the emperor for inspection.
02:08Ling told his mother that he was not going to take an empty pot.
02:13But who knows about what happened.
02:15Ling felt sick to his stomach but he knew his mother was right.
02:20He took his empty pot to the palace.
02:22When Ling arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other youths.
02:29They were beautiful in all shapes and size.
02:32Ling put his empty pot on the floor and many of the other kinds laughed at him.
02:39A few felt very sorry for him and just said, hey nice try.
02:43When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young people Ling just tried to hide in the bag.
02:51What great plants, trees and flowers you have grown, said the emperor.
02:56Today one of you will be appointed the next emperor.
02:59All of a sudden the emperor spotted Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot.
03:07He ordered his guard to bring him to the front.
03:10Ling was terrified. The emperor knew I am a failure.
03:14Maybe he will have me killed.
03:16When Ling got to the front, the emperor asked his name.
03:20My name is Ling.
03:21He replied.
03:23All the kids were laughing and making fun of him.
03:26The emperor asked everyone to quiet down.
03:29He looked at Ling and then announced to the crowd.
03:33Behold your new emperor.
03:35His name is Ling.
03:36Ling couldn't believe it.
03:38Ling couldn't even grow his seed.
03:40He could be the new emperor.
03:43Then the emperor said, one year ago today I gave everyone here a seed.
03:48I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it and bring it back to me today.
03:55But I gave you all wild seed which would not grow.
03:59All of you except Ling have brought me trees and plants and flowers.
04:04When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you.
04:11Ling was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it.
04:20Therefore, he is the one who will be the new emperor.
04:24If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
04:28If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
04:31If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
04:35If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony.
04:39If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
04:42If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
04:46If you plant openness, you will reap intimacy.
04:50If you plant patience, you will reap improvement.
04:54If you plant faith, you will reap miracles.
04:58But if you plant dishonesty, you will reap distrust.
05:03If you plant selfishness, you will reap loneliness.
05:07If you plant pride, you will reap destruction.
05:11If you plant envy, you will reap trouble.
05:15If you plant laziness, you will reap stagnation.
05:19If you plant bitterness, you will reap isolation.
05:23If you plant greed, you will reap loss.
05:26If you plant gossip, you will reap enemies.
05:29If you plant worries, you will reap wrinkles.
05:32If you plant sin, you will reap guilt.
05:35So be careful what you plant now.
05:38It will determine what you will reap tomorrow.
05:42The seeds you know scatter will make life worse or better.
05:47Your life are the ones who will come after.
05:51Yes, someday you will enjoy the fruits or you will pay for the choices you plant today.