The time when your heart is moved already has meaning.

Last December, an acquaintance gave me some fully ripened sudachi citrus.

The sudachi I usually see are green, so it was my first time seeing them ripened to yellow. The flavor was mellow and lacked any sharpness, making it perfect for ponzu.

"If the fruit is fully ripe, it might be the right time to harvest the seeds."

With that thought in mind, I planted three round seeds in a pot.

The sprouts appeared sometime after entering February, if I recall correctly.

"They finally sprouted!"

I still remember the day I found those tiny cotyledons. All three sprouted, but only one grew properly after that.

I wonder how long it takes for a sudachi to bear fruit.
Once it starts growing, I find myself curious about what will happen next.

When I looked it up, I found that if you grow them from seeds, it can take 10 years, or even up to 15 years, for them to bear fruit.

Hearing that,

"In that case, there's no point unless you buy a grafted seedling."

It wouldn't be strange for someone to say that.

In fact, if you only focus on the harvest, I think that would be a much shorter path.

But when I look at this seedling,
I just can't bring myself to think it's "meaningless."

The way it grows a little bit every day.
The unique shape of its leaves.
The speed at which new buds stretch out.
The soft thorns that have just started to appear.

Every time I discover such small changes,

"You're doing great today, too. You're working hard."

I find myself looking at it every morning. It is one of the companions I live with. I am surprised by its growth, realizing how much it has grown in just half a year.

However, if we think that only "bearing fruit" has value, then the time until it bears fruit might become an endlessly long and meaningless journey.

Observing it every day, finding small changes, and feeling excited about its growth—to me, this time alone feels sufficiently valuable.

Perhaps this is true not only for plants, but also for
our own lives.

If we only look at the results, the time we think "nothing has happened yet" actually hides many small changes and joys.

Even if something seems like a detour or meaningless to someone else, if it sparks excitement within you, then it is certainly not a meaningless time.

Because what you look at creates your own world.

If it is a meaningful time for you, it is okay to cherish it.

I feel like this sudachi seedling is teaching me that.

Another view 🌿
Look not only at the results, but also at the time leading up to them. Later, a single ripe tomato taught me once again about "savoring the present."