In a very small village in , lived an old man named Mr. Wise. The village was well known for its bamboo plants. The bamboo plant was just an ordinary plant that grew in the village but as for Mr. Wise. It was his company when he's lonely. Mr. Wise lost his family due to a fire and the only family he had was his one and only granddaughter. He lived with his granddaughter and her name was Zara. The old man loved Zara with his heart and soul and he would do anything for her. When he is alone, he makes handicrafts out of bamboo and he was very good at it.

One fine day, Mr. Wise was doing his job in front of his house when a young man approached him. The young man was John. John treated Mr. Wise like a good friend but his character was very different from Mr. Wise. In fact he was different from the other young men in the village. he always thought of being a successful person in his life. John thought that money was everything but Mr. Wise had never agreed with him

"Mr. Wise are u making a chair out of bamboo? Why dont you just buy one nstead of putting yourself in difficulty?" asked the young man again.
"Thats what u think my boy but i enjoy doing this" answered the old ma.

John paid no attention to what Mr. Woise about his imagination on his future. the big house he would live in, the amount of money he would have in his savings and the fame he would love with. Well, that's what he was after.

Hearing all these, the old man just gave him a smirk and said, "Remember young man, be like a bamboo tree when you've become what u want to be"
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked John with a confused look.
"You will understand it someday", answered Mr. Wise.

Time went by so fast and John had been travelling to many places searching for his fame and success. After he had got what he wanted, he went back to his hometown and the first person he met was his good old friend, Mr. Wise. As usual, the old man was doing something in his porch.

"Hello Mr. Wise. It has been a long time. Do u still, remember me?"
Mr. Wise was still busy with his bamboo and he almost couldn't have recognized John in the black tuxedo.
"I see you've changed a lot now" said the old man.
"Yes, of course! I am a very different man now.Ii have everything! I can conquer the world pretty much easily though" said John arrogantly.
The old man reluctantly heard what the man had said. He drank his tea and ignored John.
"No more words to say?" asked John rudely.
The old man shook his head and took a sip from his tea.
With the power and money John had, his name was well known among the other villagers. John was enjoying all the fame he was receiving and all this made him an arrogant man.

One day, John felt that it was the right time for him to find a wife. He asked his servant to announce this to every woman in the village. Soon the news was spreading all over the town and parents who had daughters were trying their best to win John's heart.

Nevertheless, John said no to all the woman who wanted to be his future wife as he thought tht none of them was beautiful. That night, he went to Mr. Wise's house for dinner and he saw the most beautiful woman ever. She was very polite, humble, soft spoken and John thought that she was the perfect woman who could be his wife.

He asked Mr. Wise who she was and he was shocked when Mr. Wise told him that she was his granddaughter.
"So she is Zara right? I would like to marry her Mr. Wise!" said John all of a sudden.
With a confused and shocked look, Mr. Wise said, " John, she is just a normal kampung girl"
"She will get anything she wants. Trust me" said John.
"I'm afraid she's not going to be a suitable wife for u John"
"You're so stubborn old man! I'll surely give u a lesson", said John with a high tone and left the old man's house.

John couldn't accept the old mans refusal. He felt that it was an insult for him because he as a respected man didn't want anyone to look down on him.

Mr. Wise sat in his rocking chair tht night and thought of John's desire to marry his granddaughter and a few questions popped into his head. Will my granddaughter be happy to live with him? I wouldnt be able to fullfill what she wants but John will. Zara will get everything she wants but that is not the meaning of happiness.
the next day, John went to the old mans house again.
"I have come back to ask for ur granddaughter's hand in marriage again. Please do not say no. I will give u anything u want"
"Alright then im giving u a challenge. Do u remember i told u to become like a bamboo tree when you've got what u wanted. Find out what it means and when you've found out the answer, come to me. Then u shall get what u want"
John took the challenge. It took him days to figure out wht it meant.
He then started with the bamboo trees and learnt everything about them. When all of a sudden.....
"Aha i finally know what Mr. Wise meant"

John went back to the old man's house. Mr. Wise was doing something in front of his porch but this time he was accompanied by his granddaughter.

As John was approaching both of them, the answers to Mr. Wise's challenge blusted out from John's mouth. "Mr. Wise I have understood it all and I am going to tell u everything this instance!! Bamboo is strong when it is young. But it is getting stronger when it grows old and old. It stands erectly when it is young but when it is old it starts to duck. That means when we are young we should work hard with great spirit but as we grow older, we shouldn't be arrogant of what we've achieved during the young days. The success we got should not make us a big headed person but humble instead. I am now going to change myself into someone who is not arrogant. Thank u Mr. Wise for reminding me of what I am now" said John with a soft and humble tone.

Mr. Wise was touched by the young man's heart and finally he let him take his granddaughter to become his wife. Zara was so happy to be married to the new and humble John and as for John he felt good after changing himself into a better person and had never been happier to be married to the woman he had always loved.

Therefore, sometimes we have no time to spare and understand what nature is trying to teach us. Let us be like the bamboo tree. Let not success ruin our life. Let us be enriched by the success and lead a more humble life. This is the meaning of success and happiness.