Given a chance to live, story of a little palm tree.

Photo #1 (2007)


Photo #2 (2013)

Given a chance to live, story of a little palm tree.

The hospital where I used to work is a 135-year-old facility, sprawling over hundreds of acres in the valley. Its grounds dotted with numerous palm, oak, pine, cypress, redwood, eucalyptus and many other mature trees. Many of the trees are almost ancient.

There are wild open fields under the trees where I often see little palm tree sprouts under the splendid mature palm trees in the late spring. Those tiny new growths however are always succumb to the lawn mower and do not have the chance to survive as those open fields are completely mowed every year when the dry season arrives.

One early summer day many years ago, while I was walking on the sidewalk along the field, I noticed a tiny palm tree sprout left on the corner by the walkway. Obviously it was lucky to escape the mowing, but it would most likely not be able to survive on the next round of mowing.

I carefully dug it out, placed in a plastic bag and brought it home. I planted it in a small pot. That was more than seven years ago. (see photo #1) After my constant attention, tender loving care and repotting every year, it has grown well and gradually gained its size. Now, the year of 2013, it is such a beautiful young palm tree on a pot. (see photo #2)

My little palm tree was given a chance to live, and has continued to live well. It has become a lovely healthy and perhaps happy young plant.


Yeh Tze