Growing up in a small town far from the mountains and oceans, it took a long time to realize how much my old environment where I grew up has influenced me throughout my life. There were no high peaks as hills and mountains and endless waves crashing from the ocean to capture, but we had something different: trees and plants. I have never focused on remembering the names of the plants and trees as a kid. However, I always knew that the gentle scents come from the Mimusops elengi tree, known as Kha Yay in Myanmar, outside our home. This tree is widely recognized in Myanmar which is a neighboring country of Thailand and China for its star-shaped small flowers which produce a sweet and refreshing fragrance.In those peaceful evenings and nights, under the Mimusops elengi, we kids gathered around and discussed choosing street games including traditional games such as Shwe sun nyo (Golden Hawks), hide and seek, and Phankhon (High Jump). Whenever we felt tired from running and jumping, we took a rest by sitting on the ground beneath Mimusops elengi. When the sudden breeze jogged around us, the bell-like sound from the leaves echoed the surroundings, which was the moment that brought back my sense to sit only upon them. After that, we picked up star-like flowers from the ground and inhaled their fragrance which was floral and pleasant. At that moment, these memories were in my little world, which was simple, yet meaningful and full of connections with my surroundings including my friends, the breeze, and the Mimusops elegni.
On some nights, the elderly in the neighborhood gathered and sat around on the bamboo bench with some tea and tea leaf salad. The topics of their conversations made it hard for us to realize their meanings.
However, there was always one thing they told us, “You kids are so lucky. Enjoy your moment as much as you can because you own the best life at this moment than any other human beings in this world.”
My friends and I did not understand very well what they wanted to mean, but thought the elderly were weird sometimes.
Then, we would complain to ourselves by saying, “We want to grow fast so that we can do whatever we want.”
When I started thinking about our wishes, the reason why we wanted to become adults fast was we wanted to go wherever we wanted, and we wanted to eat whatever we liked without asking our parents or our grandparents. It was a simple wish that came from being sick of asking for permission in everything we do. Moreover, I have always thought that grand or extraordinary things such as experiencing luxury or becoming famous which only adults can make are the goals of our life.
As I wished, I had become an adult and the last time I was a kid seems like yesterday. This time, I started realizing how these moments through the elderly conversations, the tree, and the tree’s quiet presence have taught me to deeply appreciate the learning process and the value of simplicity. Moreover, we expected our lives to be as complex as adults’, looking up to them busy with their responsibilities and tasks, which seemed very impressive to us. The reason is that we did not have much to do as kids except go to school, play with friends, or study. Now, we all want our lives to be as simple as kids. Also, I did not recognize I was learning about the value of simplicity, but I learned naturally and simply without being forceful. These moments have shown me that not all learning comes from our school textbooks, but also from our nature and the people from our environment. They are the great masters which guide us on how to live in this world of complexities by showing us the value of simplicity.
I still remember one scene which was the time my friend asked me, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
I answered, “I want to be a doctor.”
The answer is too simple because if you ask 100 kids in Myanmar, 80 out of them will give the same answer. The reason is that their guardians told them that being a doctor is the best in this world. In reality, we have no idea what we want to be when we grow up. As long as I became an adult, I have recognized that the future is not in our hands, but the present we are passing by. Like the scents from the Mimusops elegni blossoms, the breezes passed by, and the voices from the conversations give us clarity of these moments, only the present can fulfill the clarity and understanding. Instead of focusing on the future, which is hard to guess, enjoying the present moment gives us peace and simplicity. Years later, Mimusops elegni is no longer in its place, no more gentle scent, and no more shade which we used to connect. The place where the tree once existed is now replaced by a new convenience store. However, I still can feel the footprints it left in how I see the world and shape my identity. It taught me to keep alive with the surroundings and learn from them, to find meaning in the simple things, and to focus on the present moment to capture clarity. It also makes me understand that identity is not shaped only by the extraordinary, but by the simplicity which defines who we are.
