I once had a white ceramic teacup by my kitchen window. In this little cup was a coffee plant I fell in love with at first sight. It stood out in the green jungle of the shop I picked it up from. The combination of deep glossy green leaves sprouting out of a shiny white teacup did the magic for me.

My coffee plant became my favourite and soon found a space among my other potted plants on the kitchen window sill. During hot summer, the heat from the sun passes through window glass bouncing off my coffee plant before engulfing the width of my kitchen. The heat sometimes becomes unbearable when cooking, but the resilience of my coffee plant saw it through the harshest British summer heat. When thirsty it withered, but, bounced back to life with a few drops of water. Not many of my window sill plants survived the heat, They became too thirsty to be saved. The scotchiness of the sun made it nearly impossible for plants to survive on my window sill.

Unexpected Neighbour

One day, I noticed a seedling sprouting just at the base of the stem of my coffee plant. It was a tomato seedling. I instantly recognised its arrangement, the dense hairy leaves with its ovate shape. There was no way the tomato seedling would survive in the harsh environment of the teacup. Not all plants are as robust as coffee plants. Moreover, I didn’t sow the tomato plant, its seed must have flown off the chopping board during food prep and imbedded itself in the soil within the little teapot.

It wasn’t long before the tomato plant towered above my coffee plant. Both plants battled over the confinement of the space they found each other in. Both claimed ownership and displayed strength I never knew they had. They called for attention in height and might. Within weeks, it became uncomfortable to watch. I stepped in to settle the scores. The stray and determined tomato plant was given a new room to grow and also to let my beloved coffee plant claim its original space.

The tomato plant blossomed in its new home and had fruiting flowers within days. Summer gave way to winter and in the overlaying season, we harvested tomato fruits no one had hoped for. My coffee plant stood still in the white ceramic cup, tired out by the drama of the season gone by. It was a decorative coffee plant anyway, but the abandoned, unexpected and unwelcome tomato plant yielded delicious fruits.

Such Is The Story Of Hope

Hope has a thin body that breaks easily

An African Proverb

You might be wondering what the story of my tomato seedling has to do with hope. What has this got to do with hope? I need you to pause for a moment and rethink the harsh environment this seedling grew in and the micro battles it fought to stand its ground. Have you ever lost hope in something you desperately wished for? Can you resonate with the struggle?

Your hard work isn’t lost. Your effort isn’t wasted. You might get results and rewards might be in ways you least expected.

Keep dreaming and hoping. Hope is fragile, but if you look deep enough you see it sprouted and fruited in places you don’t expect just like my tomato seedlings. In the forms you least expected!

…and never give up hope of Allah’s Mercy… Q12:87)