<p>There are two tall, yielding, coconut trees in our garden. We planted two sandalwood saplings adjacent to them. One of the saplings grew faster and healthier. The other lagged behind, reasons known to it. Watering the garden was taken up by me, post retirement. One day a coconut palm fell on the healthy sapling breaking it into half. It also missed my head by inches. Being a doctor helped me in assessing the damage. The microporeplaster, plaster used to dress wounds, came handy. The broken pieces were bound together with this plaster. The only satisfaction was that we did something, with much pessimism.</p>.<p>Life continued as it was. The saplings were watered. The grafted area was checked to see if it was in place. The expected nightmare was wilting of leaves and drying of branches. Well, behold, after 15 days the leaves remained green and healthy. There were no new leaves though. The plaster was holding. The stem girth was still the same. The other sapling was behaving as usual, slow and steady. Luckily it has withstood many palms and (coco) nuts falling on it. Hope it continues to be like that.</p>.<p>The grafted sapling began to grow. New leaves and branches sprouted. I was sceptical about removing the plaster, lest the stem separated. But it was time we removed it to allow the stem to thicken. One day, with much trepidation, I cut off the plaster. The stem stood on its own, straight and rigid. It was the most successful and satisfying graft in my career as a dermatologist.</p>.<p>Since then the grafted sapling has outgrown its neighbour and is on its way to be a full grown tree. Hopefully it will grow to give the fragrance that sandalwood is known for. We always live with fear that it may fall to the axe of sandalwood smugglers, who prowl our city. </p>.<p>This story brings me to reflect on the situation we are in today. We are broken by religion, caste and economic inequality. Can we not successfully graft these fragments, these breakages and help in growth of a healthy, tolerant society? Bridging the divisions and mending the cracks can make for a healthy, beautiful society. </p>.<p>We need to think and act. </p>
<p>There are two tall, yielding, coconut trees in our garden. We planted two sandalwood saplings adjacent to them. One of the saplings grew faster and healthier. The other lagged behind, reasons known to it. Watering the garden was taken up by me, post retirement. One day a coconut palm fell on the healthy sapling breaking it into half. It also missed my head by inches. Being a doctor helped me in assessing the damage. The microporeplaster, plaster used to dress wounds, came handy. The broken pieces were bound together with this plaster. The only satisfaction was that we did something, with much pessimism.</p>.<p>Life continued as it was. The saplings were watered. The grafted area was checked to see if it was in place. The expected nightmare was wilting of leaves and drying of branches. Well, behold, after 15 days the leaves remained green and healthy. There were no new leaves though. The plaster was holding. The stem girth was still the same. The other sapling was behaving as usual, slow and steady. Luckily it has withstood many palms and (coco) nuts falling on it. Hope it continues to be like that.</p>.<p>The grafted sapling began to grow. New leaves and branches sprouted. I was sceptical about removing the plaster, lest the stem separated. But it was time we removed it to allow the stem to thicken. One day, with much trepidation, I cut off the plaster. The stem stood on its own, straight and rigid. It was the most successful and satisfying graft in my career as a dermatologist.</p>.<p>Since then the grafted sapling has outgrown its neighbour and is on its way to be a full grown tree. Hopefully it will grow to give the fragrance that sandalwood is known for. We always live with fear that it may fall to the axe of sandalwood smugglers, who prowl our city. </p>.<p>This story brings me to reflect on the situation we are in today. We are broken by religion, caste and economic inequality. Can we not successfully graft these fragments, these breakages and help in growth of a healthy, tolerant society? Bridging the divisions and mending the cracks can make for a healthy, beautiful society. </p>.<p>We need to think and act. </p>