The Willing Gift
The sun was soft that morning, and the breeze carried the smell of wet earth. Birds flew low over the fields as Acharya Vinoba Bhave walked barefoot along a dusty village path.
He walked slowly—not because he was tired, but because he liked to feel the earth under his feet. Every leaf, every stone, every ripple of air mattered to him.
A group of children spotted him from a distance and ran up. One boy held a ripe mango in his hand, its golden skin glowing in the sunlight.
“Vinoba ji!” he called, smiling. “I brought this for you! It’s from our mango tree!”
Vinoba looked at the boy with kind eyes and then at the fruit. “It looks sweet,” he said. Then, softly, he asked, “Tell me, did it fall from the tree on its own?”
The boy paused and scratched his head. “No, I... I shook the branch a little.”
There was no scolding in Vinoba’s face. Just a quiet smile.
“Ah,” he said, returning the mango. “Then I cannot accept it.”
The boy looked confused. “But... it’s just a mango! Everyone shakes the trees to get them.”
Vinoba knelt beside him. “Yes, it’s a small thing. But even small things matter when we are trying to live gently.”
He picked up a dry leaf from the ground and held it out. “See this leaf? It has fallen on its own. Nature gave it to me. But when we shake a tree, we are asking it to give before it is ready. That, too, is a kind of force.”
The children listened, wide-eyed.
“I try to eat only what nature offers willingly,” Vinoba said. “When a fruit falls on its own, it means the time has come. Until then, I must wait.”
The boy looked down at the mango in his hand. It still smelled sweet. But now, it felt different.
Vinoba placed a hand gently on the boy’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. Next time, if a mango falls by itself, I’ll eat it with great joy.”
And with that, he walked on—barefoot, silent, light as the morning breeze.
Even the smallest acts—like plucking a fruit—can be filled with care, respect, and non-violence. Vinoba Bhave teaches us to live in such a way that we never take more than what is freely given, and always listen to the quiet timing of nature.
Vinoba Bhave was the successor of Gandhi, in India. More about his journey in King of Kindness.
SEED QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: What do you make of the notion that living gently involves waiting for nature to offer its gifts willingly, as Vinoba Bhave demonstrated with the fallen mango? Can you share a personal story that reflects a moment when you chose patience over immediate gratification, perhaps waiting for the ripe opportunity to present itself naturally? What helps you cultivate the habit of listening to the quiet timing of nature in your daily life, ensuring that your actions align with a sense of respect and non-violence?