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FIFTEEN years ago, my wife Winy planted a small sapling in our garden. To most who saw it then, it was nothing remarkable - thin, fragile, barely able to hold itself upright.
There were whispers that it might not survive, that it would wither before it could ever take root. But Winy believed in it. She gave it care, patience, and nourishment. She shielded it when it was weak and allowed it space to grow strong.
Today, that sapling stands tall and proud, its branches reaching outwards, its leaves rich and full, its roots firm in the earth. By day it offers shade; by night, as in this photograph, it glows in quiet beauty, illuminated against the dark sky.
And it bears fruit - consistently, generously, without fanfare.
When I look at that tree, I see myself.
There was a time when my own heart was like that sapling - failing, fragile, and weak. I lived with less than 9% of a functioning heart, each day an uncertain gift.
Then came the transplant, a second chance, a miracle of science, faith, and love. And just like that little tree, I began again from a fragile beginning, uncertain but determined.
What made survival possible was not just the surgery. It was the nourishment of love - the steadfast strength of my wife, the unwavering support of my daughters, the care of my family and the faith of my friends.
They became my soil, my water, my light. They gave me the environment to take root once again, to grow into something stronger than before.
That tree outside my window reminds me every day: what begins small and uncertain can, with patience and love, and protection, grow into something strong, better, greater than itself.
What once seemed destined to wither can flourish and give life to others. I am still on that journey. I am not yet the full-grown tree. But I am no longer the frail sapling either.
I am becoming - branch by branch, leaf by leaf - a living testament to resilience, to love, and to the quiet power of being nurtured by those who refuse to let you fall.
And like that tree, I hope that in the years to come, I too will stand tall and offer shade, strength, and fruit to those who need it. Because the lesson is simple, but profound: survival is not about standing alone.
It is about being rooted in the love and faith of others, and in turn, becoming strong enough to provide that same shelter to the next sapling that needs it, and the many others that will follow. – August 25, 2025
Datuk Dr Vinod Sekhar is the publisher of the Vibes and Chairman of the Petra Group