The tree in the foreground is a tiny speck if you look down from the top floor of the building in the background.
Yet it is much older than the building.
30 years and two moons to be precise.
It has seen much more life and people and events than the people living in the building.
It has so much energy vibrating in its bonsai-ed roots and leaves.
You'd feel it too if you had the privilege of getting acquainted with this miniature art in a tray, as I did.

Bonsai, ah, I was always mesmerized by it. But could never form an opinion about it. I was always confused about whether Bonsai was `good' or `bad' -to put it in simplistic terms. At one level, I loved everything about these miniature trees -it was pure art and as somebody put it, it was a joy to behold a gigantic aspect of nature in your palm. This particular tree usually grows up to 30-80 ft in height, I am told. That singular piece of information when juxtaposed with the form in hand -I am overwhelmed! But therein lies the other problem. I was always guilty of enjoying the beauty of it for two reasons 1. I had extremely vocal anti-bonsai friends who felt it was cruel to stunt the growth of a living species for human pleasure, in the name of art. 2. Somewhere in the back of my mind, there was a nagging thought how majestic it would've been to let these trees grow to its full potential, instead of stunting their growth with wires and pliers.

Yesterday, I had the chance to meet few Bonsai enthusiasts and see the pieces d'art. Yes, it truly was art. Up close they were beautiful and oh so `huggable'. And the enthusiasts were true plant lovers. They'd put their hand into a crevice on the wall, without any fear, to pluck a plant, bring it back home and care for it like a child for years and years and years. And wake up every morning and love it even more than the previous day. Who knows, if they had left the plant in the crevice it might have died one day.

As I stood there with the voice of my anti-bonsai friends echoing in my head and the beauty and love of the art and the artists, it suddenly struck me - There is no need to take sides; no need to sit on the fence; the universe is vast to hold all beliefs, opinions and contrasts. Under the sun, there is a special place for both the bonsai enthusiasts and the anti-bonsai group. And we need both.

I still don't know how its possible (I need to work that out in my head), but I know it a fact that I can truly enjoy and love bonsai trees and at the same time understand the point of view of my friend. Guilt and pleasure can co-exist in a harmonious manner in your life, if you put things in the right context.