083 Good, Unseen
Hey Night Jasmine, you open only after dark, and by morning your flowers are already waiting on the ground.
When did we last do something good and leave before anyone noticed?
When did you last do something good and leave before anyone noticed?
Late at night, a small tree in the courtyard opens its white flowers with orange stems. The air fills with perfume.
In the morning, the tree is almost bare, and the ground beneath it is a carpet of flowers.
What really happens
Night jasmine, or parijatham, opens its flowers in the evening and night.
By morning, the flowers fall to the ground, still fresh and fragrant.
How we know: Nyctanthes arbor-tristis is described in Indian botany texts; its name 'arbor-tristis' means 'sad tree' because it flowers only at night.
The turn
Much good in the world is done this way: at night, unseen, and finished before anyone wakes.
Parents, carers, cleaners and night workers all know this.
Three takeaways
- Good does not need an audience.
- Do your best work even when no one is watching.
- Leave your flowers where others will find them.
Bloom at night. Be gone by morning.
The night opens the flowers in secret and allows the day to get thanks.